A baby that ingested fentanyl and cocaine was given NARCAN after chewing on ‘cotton’ the child’s mother had used to inject heroin which she left amongst toys.
She was arrested
29-year-old Pittsburgh woman Lenae Mills was arrested on Monday after her 11-month-old child tested positive for ingesting fentanyl and cocaine.
The baby was unresponsive and had to be revived using multiple doses of NARCAN -an emergency treatment for narcotic overdoses.
How the child ingested opioids
Investigators were called to Children’s Hospital on August 4, 2023 for a report that the child had ingested opioids.
Detectives later discovered that Mills’s baby was playing in the basement of a home when she found the child chewing on something – which was found to be ‘cotton’ used by Mills to inject heroin.
Through police interviews – police learned that the ‘cotton’ was left in the basement of the Harrison Township home from the last time she had used heroin.
Uses of cotton balls
Multiple other ‘cottons’ were found scattered around the basement – mixed in with colorful toys and items that babies like to play with, such as crayons, wristbands and hair ties.
Cotton balls can be used as filters for drugs – like heroin – before they’re injected into a vein or muscle.
The cotton is used to strain the liquid drug and pull out chunks of impurities that did not melt during the ‘cooking process’ that drugs in none liquid forms have to go through to be injectable.
According to her social media accounts – Mills is a mother-of-two.
She recently shared a memory on Facebook from five years ago featuring her ‘handsome’ son along with an updated status that said ‘I love and miss you baby boy,’ although its unclear where her son is currently.
The 29-year-old also shared many pictures with her daughter. One post with her ‘baby girl’ said: ‘I promise you Nevaeh, mommy is going to give you the life that you deserve! I want to be the best mother that I can be for you because I love you more than you will ever know!’
Mills was arrested in Butler County and placed in Butler County Jail – where she is waiting for conviction.
The mother is being charged with felony aggravated assault as well as endangering the welfare of a child.
