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This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
Prince William County police are searching for a woman wanted on felony homicide and child neglect charges in the fentanyl-related death of her 20-month-old son.
Tiffany Nicole Stokes, 37, called police from her former home in the Somerset Pointe Apartments in Gainesville just after 3 a.m. on June 23 reporting she was co-sleeping with her toddler and woke to find him unconscious. The boy was taken to an area hospital where he died, Prince William County police 1st Sgt. Jonathan Perok said.
At the time of his death, no suspicious or unusual circumstances came to light, but in August, investigators received preliminary findings from the state medical examiner’s office indicating the child had a lethal amount of fentanyl in his bloodstream, Perok said.
“During a subsequent interview with the accused, she was found in possession of a pill that was later determined to contain oxycodone and acetaminophen, which she was not prescribed,” Perok said.
Detectives believe the toddler ingested illicit fentanyl at some point between the evening of June 22 and the early morning of June 23.
“The investigation further revealed the accused had access to and used unprescribed pills believed to be Percocet around the time of the victim’s death,” Perok said.
On Wednesday, following a review of the finalized medical examiner’s report and after consultation with prosecutors, police obtained warrants charging Stokes with felony child neglect, felony homicide and possession of a scheduled I or II narcotic, Perok said.
Attempts to locate her have been unsuccessful and her current address is unknown.
