OCEAN GATE, NJ — A 32-year-old woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after her 2-year-old daughter was found with methadone in her system and later died, authorities announced Tuesday.
Prosecutors said Jenna O’Connor of Ocean Gate called 911 on July 17 after finding her daughter unresponsive in her crib. The child was rushed to Community Medical Center in Toms River and later airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she died on July 21.
Medical tests conducted while the child was hospitalized revealed the presence of methadone in her system. Investigators determined O’Connor was home and responsible for the child’s care between July 16 and 17 and that methadone was accessible in the residence.
O’Connor was taken into custody without incident on July 22 and lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may follow.