On Tuesday, the Everett Police Department announced the arrest of five individuals connected to the overdose death of a 13-month-old child last year.
The incident occurred on April 24, 2024, when patrol officers responded to a medical emergency in the 1400 block of Casino Road. The initial call reported an infant who was not breathing. Emergency responders from the Everett Fire Department attempted life-saving measures before transporting the child to a nearby hospital, where the child died.
Upon entering the home, officers were immediately struck by a strong chemical odor consistent with fentanyl use. They observed multiple small, blue fentanyl pills scattered on the floor of the common area.
The Everett Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit secured and executed a search warrant, uncovering extensive evidence of narcotics use throughout the residence. According to investigators, nearly every room contained items used for ingesting drugs. Further investigation revealed video footage showing some occupants using narcotics in the presence of children.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner later confirmed the child's cause of death as drug poisoning. Detectives followed up extensively over the past year, ultimately arresting five individuals believed to be responsible. All suspects are now in custody at the Snohomish County Jail.
Authorities emphasized the extreme danger fentanyl poses to children. Even minute amounts of the synthetic opioid can be fatal to infants and toddlers due to their smaller bodies and lack of tolerance. Brightly colored pills can resemble candy to a child, further increasing the risk of accidental ingestion.
The case has reignited debate over Washington State’s child welfare policies, particularly House Bill 1227, also known as the Keeping Families Together Act. Enacted in 2023, the law aims to reduce the number of children removed from their homes by emphasizing family preservation, even in situations involving substance abuse, unless imminent physical harm can be clearly demonstrated.
Critics argue the law sets too high a threshold for intervention, allowing dangerous environments to persist. In response, Republican legislators introduced a bill that would classify the presence of illicit substances like fentanyl in a home as grounds for imminent harm, enabling immediate removal of children. The bill also proposed equipping caseworkers with fentanyl test strips and better risk-assessment training.
However, the Democratic majority blocked this legislation, opting instead to pass a pared-down version, HB 2447. Republican State Representative Travis Couture blasted the decision, accusing Democrats of prioritizing ideology over child safety.
“Democrats have chosen this radical ideology of their drug ideology and their equity ideology over the lives of innocent children in our state,” Couture said during an appearance on The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI. He pointed to sobering statistics from 2022, when nearly 3,000 people in Washington died from drug overdoses—more than the total number of American deaths in Operation Enduring Freedom. “It’s like a 9/11… a mass casualty on our streets,” he said.
Couture also criticized Washington’s harm reduction strategies, which he described as “coddling” drug users. “Love and compassion for your fellow man is not giving them the tools to kill themselves,” he said.
The Everett toddler’s death is not an isolated incident. Last year, a one-month-old baby in Port Townsend was found dead in the bushes after disappearing with his father, who had stopped complying with court-ordered drug testing. The baby had fentanyl in his system at birth and had been placed with his father after the mother lost custody. The father later led police to the baby's concealed body.
In another Everett case, a 4-year-old boy was brutally murdered—stabbed up to 41 times—by his mother, who had a documented history of drug abuse. Just a week prior, the boy’s grandmother had petitioned the court for custody, warning that the mother was violent and unfit due to her substance use.
