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17-Year-Old Mother, Grandmother Accused In Death Of 9-Month-Old Held Without Bail

ORCHARD BEACH, Md. (WJZ) — A mother and grandmother accused in the death of a 9-month-old baby boy are being held without bail.

A judge denied bail for 17-year-old Alexus Taylor and her 44-year-old mother Laurie Taylor.

Both are facing life in prison after police say they allowed Alexus' 9-month-old son Niyear to ingest heroin last July. 

 

The infant died—the youngest overdose fatality in Anne Arundel County history.

17-Year-Old Mom, Grandmother Charged In 9-Month-Old Boy's Death From Heroin, Fentanyl

The two are accused of letting the infant ingest heroin. They allegedly made two trips to Baltimore City to get the drugs and the baby may have ingested one of the capsules during the trip. Prosecutors said the Laurie "deliberately chose not to seek medical treatment" for the baby even when she suspected he swallowed a capsule.

In court Friday, pre-trial services told Judge Meagan Johnson that Alexus Taylor is pregnant again.

Prosecutor Anastasia Prigge told Judge Johnson that Alexus should not return home under any circumstances.

"There is no one suitable to supervise her," Prigge said. "She may still be addicted to heroin. This may protect her unborn child."

Out of concern for Alexus' health, the judge ordered that she be held at a juvenile facility where she can get medical treatment to help in her pregnancy.

During the court proceeding, Laurie Taylor appeared to yell, "I love you," to her daughter Alexus.

The investigation began on July 27 when Anne Arundel County police and fire departments responded to the 7900 block of Chesapeake Drive in Orchard Beach for a 9-month-old boy in medical distress.

The baby was taken to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

Family members told police the infant had been "wheezing" while breathing.

The mother and the grandmother, who were sleeping with the infant, found the baby unresponsive the next morning and called 911.

An autopsy found fentanyl and morphine in the infant's blood, liver and stomach contents. Further testing confirmed he had also ingested heroin and fentanyl.

It took months for police and prosecutors to build their case. In August, they searched the family's home and found heroin throughout the residence.

Police said they recovered more than 100 gel caps on the floor and other locations—including inside the baby's diaper bag.

The day after the Taylors were arrested, what looked like a child's blanket covered the front door of their home. No one answered the door.

Dave O'Hearn lives just behind the family's home in Orchard Beach. He remembered seeing a swarm of police officers after the baby's death last summer.

 

"That's the battle we're fighting every day is addiction," O'Hearn said. "It's sad to say it's a losing battle. Unless they do something to get the drugs off the streets, you're going to hear more and more and more about this."

 

"It breaks your heart to see this happen to an innocent child," he added.

 

Another neighbor said he remembers hearing the baby cry.

"I just wish the mom and grandmother could have gotten help. It's devastating, he said, adding he never noticed anything out of the ordinary at the home.

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