16-year-old Petaluma boy dies of Xanax, Fentanyl overdose; mother, friend arrested

PETALUMA, Calif. - A 16-year-old boy died in Petaluma after taking Xanax possibly laced with Fentanyl leading to the arrests of a woman who says she was his mother and her friend - both of whom were allegedly under the influence of drugs during their police interview.

This was the third narcotic-related overdose that Petaluma police and firefighters have responded to since Friday, according to Lt. Tim Lyons. And in the last six months, there have been 19 other overdose calls, of which three have been fatal, police said. A majority of these calls have been related to heroin, although police are now starting to see that Fentanyl emergencies are on the rise, too.

Danielle E. Foernsler, 34 and Robert D. Harrison, were both arrested Monday on suspicion of child endangerment and manslaughter charges following the death of the boy, who has not yet been publicly identified. Efforts to reach the pair were not immediately successful on Tuesday.

Lyons said the boy was pronounced dead at 5:09 a.m. Monday at  Petaluma Valley Hospital. The preliminary cause appears to be a drug overdose, police said.

Police were called to the 20 block of Vallejo Street about an hour earlier after a 911 caller said a roommate's friend seemed to be having a seizure. When police arrived, they found Foerrnsler and Harrison. Harrison had a full syringe and a loaded firearm, police said.

Foernsler was also there and at first gave police a false name and said she was the boy's cousin, Lyons said. She later identified herself as the boy's mother and said she lied because she had at least two outstanding robbery warrants for her arrest.

Both she and Harrison eventually told police they knew the boy had Xanax that contained Fentanyl, Lyons said. And when the boy started to suffer from an overdose, Harrison allegedly didn't call for help. Police did not mention what his mother did.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Walt Spiller at 707-778-4372.