A 32-year-old Norco woman is facing a long prison sentence after she abused and allowed her 17-month-old daughter to ingest a lethal dose of fentanyl. The woman, Jennifer Johanna Allen, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her daughter.
Allen reached a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, admitting to the murder charge. In return, the prosecution dropped a child cruelty charge and a sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegation.
During the hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Superior Court Judge Matthew Perantoni certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the legally specified sentence.
On May 9, patrol deputies responded to a call at Allen’s residence on Eighth Street, near Crestview Drive. They found Allen’s daughter, identified as “J.A.” unconscious and unresponsive. Despite efforts by county fire paramedics, they were unable to revive the child.
“During the investigation, evidence showed that fentanyl played a role in the juvenile’s death,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Brosche. Allen was arrested without incident.
No prior felony convictions were documented for Allen in Riverside County.
According to public safety officials, there were 503 confirmed fentanyl-related fatalities in the county last year, compared to just under 400 in 2021. This marks a 200-fold increase since 2016 when there were only two deaths.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration states that fentanyl is manufactured in overseas labs and smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border by cartels. Being 80-100 times more potent than morphine, it can be mixed into various street narcotics and prescription drugs without users knowing the actual contents. Ingesting just two milligrams can be fatal.
Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45.
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