FRANKFORT, Ky. (WBKO) – A woman from Kenton County, who was found guilty of murder after her toddler son consumed fentanyl, will continue serving her prison sentence.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that the state Supreme Court upheld Lauren Baker’s sentence of 33 years.
In 2023, Baker was convicted on charges of wanton murder and two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
On March 18, 2021, Baker, who had confessed to spending her stimulus check on fentanyl just days prior, woke up to discover that her 2-year-old son had found the drug and died after ingesting it.
Toxicological tests showed that the child’s fentanyl levels were nearly ten times higher than what would be fatal for an adult, according to the report.
The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a person can be convicted of wanton murder if they cause another person’s death through conduct that poses a significant risk of death, demonstrating a severe disregard for human life.
“This decision establishes a crucial precedent: those in Kentucky who place their children and loved ones in danger due to these lethal substances will face consequences when disaster strikes,” said Attorney General Coleman in a statement. “While this ruling marks a significant victory, it cannot bring back the young child, and we mourn the loss of an innocent life far too early.”
Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, is known to be up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
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