Lawrence couple charged after 1-year-old daughter exposed to fentanyl – Boston Herald

The parents of a 1-year-old Lawrence girl who was hospitalized for fentanyl exposure were ordered held without bail Tuesday on drug trafficking charges — after cops said the couple initially lied about where their daughter found the pill.

Mcdanner Pereyra and Jennifer Ouch, both 27, of Lawrence, were charged with trafficking a Class A substance (fentanyl), illegal possession of ammunition and possession of a large-capacity magazine. They were arraigned in Lawrence District Court and are being held pending a dangerousness hearing on Feb. 26.

Their daughter is expected to recover, police said.

Ouch brought her daughter to the Lawrence General Hospital emergency room Sunday after she found the toddler with a pill in her mouth, court records show. Both Lawrence police and the Department of Children and Families responded to the hospital Monday afternoon, a Lawrence police report said.

A doctor told police the girl’s urine screening tested positive for fentanyl, the report stated.

Ouch and Pereyra initially told police they had taken their two children to a Methuen trampoline park the day before and then went shopping at Target. Pereyra told police that on the ride home Ouch said their daughter had put a small, round blue pill that she found on the floor of the store into her mouth. Ouch told police a similar story, and said she thought the pill was candy, the report said.

But the couple’s 6-year-old son told police his sister stayed in the shopping cart the entire time at Target, and that once home she made a “yucky face” and that’s when Ouch took the blue pill out of her mouth, the report said.

Pereyra later “apologized for lying to us and stated that he was afraid of what DCF would do if they heard that she [his daughter] found the pill at home,” telling police he “told his girlfriend to lie” about where the incident occurred and that “he believed that his daughter found the pill at home or on her way into the house,” the police report stated.

Police searched the couple’s apartment and seized 43.9 grams of suspected fentanyl, 2 1/2 “Xanax bars,” 17 tablets imprinted for promethazine hydrochloride, a large digital scale and $896 in cash found under a mattress. Police also found a gun box with a high-capacity magazine loaded with 11 9 mm rounds, a holster and a safety manual for a semiautomatic pistol, as well as four boxes of 7.62 mm rounds, 23 loose 9 mm rounds, and 20 loose 7.62 mm rounds, the report said. Pereyra denied owning a gun and “denied dealing Fentanyl or any other drugs outside of Marijuana,” the report said. Court records show Pereyra was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance in 2012.

DCF took custody of both children. Authorities said the parents could face more charges.

In December, 11-year-old Precious Wallaces of Haverhill died following exposure to fentanyl. Her uncle, Miguel Rivera, 58, was arrested in connection with her death and faces charges including child rape.

Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque said he was “alarmed” children were being exposed to narcotics.

Neighborhood resident Lawrence Hester said he hoped the girl would recover, adding, “It’s crazy … it’s sad a chemical like that is around. I think we need to stop that.”