KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A man and a woman from Kansas City, Missouri, are facing 1st-degree murder charges in the death of a 3-year-old boy in March in Leavenworth.
Leavenworth Police Chief Patrick Kitchens said officers were called March 26 to an address in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Drive on reports a 3-year-old boy was unresponsive.
First responders arrived on the scene and confirmed the boy was unresponsive.
He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
As paramedics tried to save the boy, police on the scene recovered several items associated with illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.
An autopsy revealed the boy died from acute fentanyl poisoning.
Additional crime scene processing by agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation revealed the presence of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in the apartment.
Two people were in charge of the boy at the time of the incident. One, identified as Tara Huerta, 40, of KCMO, was arrested Friday in Leavenworth.
On Monday, Kitchens confirmed the arrest of a second person, 34-year-old Kenneth Hedgecock.
Both Hedgecock and Huerta are charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child endangerment, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of certain drug precursors and drug paraphernalia.
Court information for the pair weren't immediately available.
Kitchens said additional arrests and charges are possible in the case.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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