A Massachusetts woman is facing charges after the death of her 4-year-old daughter, who authorities claim died from fentanyl toxication.
Dayanna Familia, of Boston, is accused of lying to EMS personnel and police as they responded to her daughter’s August 17 medical emergency.
Prosecutors revealed in court during Familia’s Monday, October 26, arraignment , that she told first responders that her daughter “was drinking milk when she turned blue and perhaps had gotten into a roach trap,” per NBC10 Boston.
Familia, 35, likely knew her daughter had consumed fentanyl that she allegedly left out, resulting in the girl’s death, prosecutors argued.
“Despite knowing the child’s actual cause of her medical issue, she misled officers and EMS and in doing so, she impeded the life saving techniques and medical procedures that EMS was trying to perform so save her daughter’s life,” Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Allyson Portney said in court, according to Boston 25 News.
Boston police took Familia into custody in Dedham on Saturday, October 24, in connection with an outstanding arrest warrant that had been issued out of Dorchester, according to the Boston Police Department.
Familia was arrested on charges of manslaughter, possession of class A drugs, destruction of evidence and intentionally misleading an investigator in a criminal investigation, the department said in a news release.
Her daughter was pronounced dead on August 17 after officers responding to her medical emergency found her unresponsive at a Dorchester residence, according to police.
An autopsy revealed her death was caused by “acute fentanyl intoxication,” police said.
Officers ultimately found fentanyl inside the Dorchester home, according to Boston 25 News.
At her arraignment, Familia pleaded not guilty, per the outlet, which identified her daughter as Liyanna Bautista Familia.
Familia’s bail was reportedly set at $250,000 as requested by prosecutors, after Familia’s defense attorney, Rosalinda Refsland, sought $10,000 bail.
“Miss Familia has no previous criminal record, we don’t believe she’s a danger to the community. She has never been charged with a crime, there are no convictions on her record,” Refsland said, according to Boston 25 News.
In the wake of Liyanna’s death, a woman who identified herself as the girl’s aunt, Anays Mercedes, created a GoFundMe to support the family.
“Liyanna was such a beautiful little girl with so much life ahead of her,” Mercedes wrote on the page. “At only four years old, she should be spending her days playing, laughing, learning, and simply enjoying being a little girl. Unfortunately, our family is currently facing a situation we never imagined we would have to go through.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
