ORIENT, Ohio — A Pickaway County woman is a wanted fugitive after authorities say her 17-month-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose while in her unsupervised care, in violation of a custody order barring such visits.
Deputies from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and Scioto Township EMS were dispatched at 11:14 a.m. Oct. 13 to 7809 High Street, Unit 3, in Orient for a report of a 1-year-old girl not breathing, according to the sheriff’s office.
EMS crews arrived first, began CPR and rushed the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the release said. Deputies then made contact on scene with the girl’s mother, 30-year-old Brittany M. Stroud, and a detective responded to continue the investigation. Investigators determined the child was actually 17 months old.
The sheriff’s office said it was notified at 11:56 a.m. that the child had been pronounced dead at the hospital.
Detectives working with Franklin County Children Services and the National Youth Advocate Program learned that a Franklin County court order required the child to be in the custody of 52-year-old Tammy M. Stroud, the girl’s grandmother and Brittany Stroud’s mother. Under that same order, Brittany Stroud was barred from having unsupervised visitation with the child, according to the sheriff’s office.
An Oct. 14 autopsy at the Franklin County Coroner’s Office found a fatal amount of fentanyl in the toddler’s system, the release said.
Detectives then executed a search warrant at the Orient residence and seized evidence, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators have since carried out several additional search warrants and have been working with the Columbus Division of Police on the case.
Detective Sgt. Robert Dauberman filed charges against Brittany Stroud for involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony; child endangering, a third-degree felony; and possession of a controlled substance, a fifth-degree felony, according to the sheriff’s office. Tammy Stroud was charged with complicity to involuntary manslaughter, complicity to child endangering and complicity to possession of a controlled substance. Arrest warrants were issued for both women.
Tammy Stroud turned herself in to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and was arraigned in Circleville Municipal Court, where she was given a $250,000 bond, the sheriff’s office said.
Brittany Stroud’s arrest warrant remains outstanding, and the sheriff’s office said she is known to frequent the Franklin County and Columbus area. Suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Anyone with information on Brittany Stroud’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sgt. Robert Dauberman at 740-420-5752 or [email protected].
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
