Mother of child who died after ingesting fentanyl gets 11 years in prison

A Phoenix mother was sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison and 10 years of probation after her child died from ingesting pills containing fentanyl in 2022.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced 34-year-old Gabriella Marshall's sentence for second-degree murder on Monday morning.

Scottsdale police responded to a call for a 13-month-old child who wasn't breathing on Sept. 19, 2022. The child was cold and unresponsive when officers arrived.

Court documents say Marshall made comments about the baby getting into her "unknown opiates" and a toxicology report revealed "significant" amounts of norfentanyl and fentanyl.

Norfentanyl is a drug that is similar to fentanyl and is used in anesthesiological practice during surgical interventions.

Upon arrival, emergency responders administered Narcan and took the child to a hospital, where the child died.

Court documents state that around 6 a.m., Marshall called and texted a friend asking for Narcan and searched online regarding how to do CPR on a child who is overdosing.

The friend told officials she arrived at Marshall's home with the Narcan around 7:40 a.m., which Marshall administered to the child and told her to call 911 multiple times.

Marshall called 911 around 8 a.m., according to court documents. A blood test given to Marshall showed positive results for the presence of fentanyl and norfentanyl.

“Losing a child is an immeasurable agony; but knowing that because of your addiction your child is gone is something this mother will have to live with for the rest of her life,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell in a statement.