Pittsburg County couple facing murder/drug charges after 4-month-old son dies

A young couple in Pittsburg County is facing 1st-degree murder charges after investigators say their 4-month-old son died from a drug overdose.

Investigators say that Vanessa Nelson and Julian Glenn’s baby had Meth and Fentanyl in his system when he died last year.

Along with murder charges, the couple is also facing charges of drug trafficking.

Local hospitals like Saint Francis are seeing the effects of opioids on newborns at least once a week.

They are taking a proactive approach to educate mothers about Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Doctors say this occurs when a newborn suffers from withdrawal from opioids like Fentanyl.

NICU staff say it’s vital to teach mothers about this before birth because withdrawal can become a medical emergency.

We reached out to Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics, who said his agency did the initial investigation and also an undercover purchase of meth from the couple.

It was during that investigation that they learned the baby had passed away.

“So we started making some inquires and sure enough, the ME"s report showed that meth and Fentanyl toxicity was the cause of death, and so that was the reason for additional charges being filed on top of the drug distribution charges,” said Woodward.

He said Fentanyl is a big problem here in Oklahoma.

"We do know that around the country and throughout Oklahoma, we've seen an increase in small children overdosing, and typically, it's because they inhale the particles,” said Woodward.

Saint Francis wants to encourage moms to have a conversation with their doctor about opioid use or any treatment programs they might be in.

Saint Francis

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