Whitney Ard, the mother of a 2-yr-old boy, has been arrested and charged after a toddler died allegedly from an “acute fentanyl” overdose. Officials say this was the third time the toddler was rushed to a hospital since April 2022.
Sources tell Unfiltered with Kiran that the Dept. of Child & Family Services, or DCFS, was notified by both the hospital and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office more than once, but that the toddler was given back to his mother after every alleged incident.
On June 26, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputies responded to a hospital around 10:20am for a 2-yr-old boy, Mitchell Robinson, who had died.
Deputies learned the child was transported to the hospital from his home on Denova St. & the toddler was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Medical personnel advised deputies that the child’s death was suspicious because the child was unresponsive when he arrived by EMS to the hospital.
Officials said Ard took her son to the hospital on June 4, 2022 where “he was admitted and treated for lethargic behavior, acute respiratory failure, and seizure disorder,” said Ard’s arresting documents. Through further investigation, officials learned the toddler was revived after a Narcan dose.
“In addition to that, he was presented at the emergency room in April 2022, for “breathing issues.” He was admitted, treated, and released into the care of the accused (his mother) after each episode,” documents show. Officials said once again, they learned the toddler was revived after a Narcan dose.
EBRSO arrested Ard on May 11th for several drug charges including possession & possession with intent to distribute.
Ard said to deputies that she was recently released from East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on June 24, 2022 and her mother was taking care of the toddler. She said she did not get her son back till June 25th in the evening. She told deputies the toddler “displayed normal behavior, as he was running around playing with his older sibling. The accused went on to say that she put the toddler in bed with her, where he often slept. During the early morning hours, he awakened her and asked for something to eat. She prepared him a bowl of cereal and placed him on the floor to eat it. Around 7am, she awoke to find the toddler in bed with her, cold to the touch, unresponsive, with his fingertips, mouth, and tongue blue in color. She carried him outdoors, where her friend performed CPR until EMS arrived and continued resuscitation efforts on the pavement, where they found him. The accused advised the toddler had a medical history of seizures,” according to arresting documents.
When deputies searched Ard’s home, they found a “corner piece of a clear piece of plastic containing white powdery residue,
underneath the bed of the master bedroom.”
During the investigation, the Children’s Advocacy Center interviewed an older sibling on July 6th, 2022. “During the interview, the sibling disclosed that in the past she has seen a lot of pills on her mother’s bed and her brother (the decedent), “ate mom’s pills.” When their mother found out her brother ate some of the pills, Ard whipped him and made him go to bed. Later on, their mother (the accused) took him to the hospital. Regarding June 26, 2022, the date of the victim’s death, the sibling disclosed that he was “outside and his lips were blue.” “
Ard is now charged with one count of negligent homicide of her 2-yr-old son. She was arrested after a toxicology was conducted and completed on her son.
CPS should be charged as an accessory.