2-Year-Old Girl Dies From Fentanyl Overdose; Police Charge Mother With Second-Degree Murder

Tulsa Police are looking for a man and woman charged in the death of a 2-year-old girl. Police say the girl died from a fentanyl overdose.

Njerin Samuel is charged with second-degree murder and child neglect, and Eric Jones is charged with child neglect. 

Police say DHS had met with the couple last September when Samuel tested positive for fentanyl when she gave birth to a different child.

Police say Jones called 911 on February 1 about the possible overdose of a child.

Police say the hospital determined the girl had fentanyl in her in her system.

She died two days later, on February 3, 2024.

The affidavit says the girl’s 5-year-old brother was interviewed and said he saw his sister get into mommy's blue nose medicine in the drawer by her bed. 

He said his sister couldn't breathe and would not wake up.

The affidavit says Njerin Samuel told investigators when she heard the sirens, she threw a straw with residue, which was in a drawer by her bed, into the trash.

Police say Samuel admitted she uses fentanyl by crushing blue pills and snorting them through a straw.

Police say they found a crushed blue pill on the kitchen floor and cut up straws with a blue residue on them, later confirmed to be fentanyl.

Police say after Samuel was interviewed at the hospital, she left her daughter at the hospital in critical condition and went back to the apartment.

Police say Jones denied knowing Samuel was using drugs, but a family member says Jones texted her in January, saying Samuel was high and needed help.

The affidavit says in addition to the 2-year-old who died, there were four children under the age of 6 inside the apartment.

Arrest warrants were issued for both Samuel and Jones on February 18, and the TPD fugitive warrants squad is looking for them.