Broward parents arrested after 1-year-old died of fentanyl poisoning, detectives say
.jpg "Shaneka Dean, 33 (left) and Wendy Previl, 30 (right).")
The parents of a 1-year-old were arrested Monday after a lengthy investigation revealed that their son died last year from a lethal intoxication of drugs, including fentanyl, according to Broward detectives.
Wendy Previl, 30, of Pompano Beach and Shaneka Dean, 33, of Deerfield Beach each face a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child, county jail records show.
Previl, the father, is also being accused of possessing fentanyl.
While Dean bonded out shortly after her arrest, Previl remained in jail Monday afternoon.
According to detectives, at around 3 p.m. on Sept. 24, Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies rushed to 218 SW Third St. in Deerfield Beach in response to a medical emergency. Upon arrival at the home, they discovered 1-year-old Zaire Cenatus was in “medical distress.” He was then taken to a hospital, where he died soon after, police said.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the child had extremely high levels of fentanyl in his system, BSO spokesman Carey Codd told the Miami Herald. Fentanyl was found in the home, he said.
“It is unclear when or how [the child] ingested the lethal and deadly drug,” Codd said. “At some point, it occurred, with tragic consequences.”
Investigators determined that Previl was selling and distributing the narcotic and Dean was aware of that.
“The dangers of fentanyl are well-known,” Codd said. “Even a minute amount of this drug can have deadly consequences, as we saw in this case.”
