Authorities arrested 43-year-old Taletha Kropp and her 20-year-old daughter, Leeonna Cherry, after 9-month-old Makayla Huff died in Toledo on Feb. 19. The Lucas County coroner ruled the cause of death acute fentanyl toxicity from ingested fentanyl and classified the death as a homicide. Kropp faces involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges; Cherry was charged with obstructing justice. Officials urged caregivers to securely store all medications and provided national helplines for substance use and suspected child abuse.
9-Month-Old Dies After Ingesting Fentanyl — Grandmother and Mother Arrested in Toledo
Taletha Kropp; Leeonna CherryCredit: Lucas County Sheriff's Office
An Ohio grandmother and the infant's mother were arrested in late April after authorities say a 9-month-old girl in their care died from ingesting a lethal dose of fentanyl.
According to local reports, 43-year-old Taletha Kropp and her 20-year-old daughter, Leeonna Cherry, were taken into custody on April 23 in connection with the Feb. 19 death of Cherry’s daughter, Makayla Huff, in Toledo.
Police say Huff was under Kropp’s supervision on Feb. 19 when she was found unresponsive at the home just after 4:15 p.m. Emergency responders transported the infant to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before 5 p.m. after going into respiratory distress.
Toledo Police Department vehicles (stock image)Credit: Alamy
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office reported that toxicology detected a lethal concentration of fentanyl in the infant’s blood and stomach. The coroner ruled the cause of death as acute fentanyl toxicity from ingested fentanyl and classified the manner of death as a homicide. According to the autopsy, Huff "would have died in seconds after ingesting the fentanyl."
Detectives told reporters that witnesses indicated Cherry was aware of Kropp’s routine drug use, which they say included heroin laced with fentanyl. Prosecutors charged Kropp with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children; Cherry faces a charge of obstructing justice. Kropp appeared in court on April 24, where a judge set her bond at $1 million; Cherry was released on bond the same day. Both women are scheduled to appear in court again on April 30.
The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office Drug Abuse Response Team (DART) said incidents like this are rare but tragically possible. Lieutenant Steve Rogers urged caregivers to secure all medications and drugs—"from Tylenol all the way up to fentanyl"—out of children's reach.
"Proper storage and making sure that it's secure is key to prevent these tragedies from happening," Rogers said. "You do hear stories of infants and youth ingesting and overdosing and potentially passing away from it."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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