Louisiana Mother Charged with Murder After Infant Dies of Meth Overdose

Morse, LA (KPEL News) - An Acadia Parish woman is charged with murder in the death of her infant. South Louisiana law enforcement officials say the baby died of a meth overdose.

Tragically, thousands of babies and young children have died in the last year when they were exposed to fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. The way in which they accessed the narcotics ranged from coming into contact with it at a public place like a park and ingesting it because it was near the child at home or in the car.

The most recently reported Acadiana case involves a mother who, investigators say, used methamphetamines while she was pregnant, exposing the infant to the drug, and may have continued using after the baby was born.

In August, deputies were called to a home on Coon Richard Road near Morse in Acadia Parish because an infant was unresponsive. First responders worked on and then transported the child to a nearby hospital where the baby passed away.

Autopsy and toxicology tests came back on October 31 and indicated that the infant died due to acute methamphetamine intoxication. Based on the results, detectives got a warrant and searched the house where the baby lived with its mother and found drug paraphenalia.

Studies show that the number of babies in the womb exposed to meth is rising. For instance, one pharmacology study published by the National Institute of Health revealed that:

In 1994, METH accounted for 8% of admitted pregnant women, which rose to 24% by 2006.

The study also concluded that more pregnant women were admitted to the hospital because of meth use than men and women who weren't pregnant.

The autopsy results and evidence found at the home in Morse led investigators to arrest 27-year-old Autumn Navarre on one count of negligent homicide in the death of her child.

Navarre was booked into the Acadia Parish jail. Her bond is set at $100,000.