South Florida mom charged after fentanyl, cocaine found in system of 18-month-old son after overdose death, FDLE says
A South Florida mother has been arrested in connection with the overdose death of her 18-month-old son earlier this year, state investigators said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Pearlandria Boujolly, 29, of Miami-Dade, on Aug. 20. She faces one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child under 18 years old.
The case began in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, when Miami Police and Miami Fire Rescue responded to a home after an 18-month-old boy was found unresponsive just before 4 a.m., according to the FDLE.
The child was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after, the FDLE said.
An autopsy by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Department found fentanyl and a trace amount of cocaine in the child's blood, according to state investigators.
FDLE's investigation determined that narcotics had been left in an unlocked room inside the home where the child was found.
Investigators said the child accidentally ingested a small amount of the drugs. Boujolly was not inside the residence at the time, according to investigators.
Boujolly was arrested at her Miami-Dade residence and is being taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Detention Center in West Miami-Dade. More charges may be possible, investigators said.
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said the case reflects a broader focus her office has maintained on drug-induced homicides.
"It is a heartbreaking day when a child loses their life inside their own home due to a parent's recklessness and dangerous drugs left out in the open," she said.
Miami Police Chief Edwin Lopez called the child's death an entirely preventable tragedy.
"This arrest sends a clear message: there is zero tolerance for negligence that puts an innocent child's life at risk," Lopez said.
The arrest was made through the South Florida State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication Task Force, a multi-agency unit that includes FDLE, the Miami Police Department and several other South Florida law enforcement agencies.
FDLE Miami Special Agent in Charge Michael Stein said the case underscores why the task force exists.
"When the deadly effects of fentanyl hit our communities, especially our children, FDLE and our partners are motivated, more than ever, to use every investigative resource available to hold everyone involved accountable," Stein said.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case, and the investigation remains active.