Two relatives of a Spotsylvania County infant were charged with murder this week over her fentanyl-related death, authorities said.
The 9-month-old girl stopped breathing while in the care of her grandmother, 49-year-old Ilona Foster, and aunt, 35-year-old Stephanie Diomande.
Her mother had dropped her along with two other siblings at the relatives’ home on Dec. 1. A 2-year-old relative who also was being cared for by the women tested positive for cocaine.
Foster and Diomande were charged with felony murder, four counts of child abuse, child endangerment, possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
While an official cause of death is still being determined by the medical examiner’s office, authorities said that doctors at the Richmond hospital where the child died found fentanyl in her system.
