ASBURY PARK – A 26-year-old woman has received a five-count indictment for the death of her 2-year-old son who died due to a drug overdose earlier this year, officials said.
Quanique Smith of Asbury Park is charged with first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter, two counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, third-degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and third-degree Hindering Apprehension.
On January 5, police were called to an apartment on Langford Street regarding an unresponsive child. First responders rushed the toddler to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased, officials said.
Authorities discovered that heroin and fentanyl that belonged to Smith had been left in the family’s home within reach of the 2-year-old and his 5-year-old sibling. According to officials, the child ingested the drugs which directly caused his death.
Smith was arrested later on the same day and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI). She faces of up to 30 years in state prison for the Aggravated Manslaughter charge, with 85 percent of the sentence to be served before the possibility of parole under the provisions of New Jersey’s No Early Release Act. Convictions on second- and third-degree criminal charges are commonly punishable by terms of up to 10 and 5 years.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact MCPO Detective Stephen Cavendish at 800-533-7443 or Asbury Park Detective Anthony Houlis at 732-502-4582.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
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