DA files murder charge against Brentwood mother after toddler dies of Fentanyl overdose
BRENTWOOD, Calif. - The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges this week against a 22-year-old mother after her toddler died of a Fentanyl overdose.
Prosecutors say Genesis Barrera-Galdamez of Brentwood is responsible for the Sept. 20 death of her 2-year-old son, Jasani Kerry, Jr., whose official cause of death was Acute Fentanyl Toxicity.
Barrera-Galdamez is currently being held in custody on $1 million bail and is being represented by the Public Defender, who did not respond immediately for comment on Thursday. She made her first court appearance on Wednesday and is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 18.
“While the defendant did not intend that her son Jasani die, the evidence shows that she was aware her Fentanyl possession and use was dangerous to human life and despite this knowledge, exposed Jasani to the danger which ultimately led to his death," Deputy District Attorney Derek Butts said in a statement. “Well known amongst abusers, Fentanyl is an exceptionally toxic and dangerous substance. The act of exposing people to or supplying others with Fentanyl, if death results, can lead to murder charges.”
Authorities said that Barrera-Galdamez called the police and stated her son was not breathing and non-responsive. She told the police that her son appeared blue and his body was very cold. Paramedics performed CPR for 30 minutes, but to no avail, prosecutors say. Officers at the scene found multiple items of drug paraphernalia on and around the bed she shared with her son, including 13 grams of powdered Fentanyl, baggies and tin foil pieces containing Fentanyl residue and a torch lighter, prosecutors said.
After her son died, Barrera-Galdamez tried to sell Fentanyl to several people, authorities said. Brentwood Police Department officers obtained a warrant for her arrest on Oct. 19. The following day, Barrera-Galdamez was arrested at the Comfort Inn in Antioch, where she was engaging in Fentanyl sales, prosecutors said.
Barrera-Galdamez was also charged with felony child abuse and felony possession of Fentanyl to sell. Two enhancements were also filed tied to the child abuse charge against the defendant: willful harm causing injury and great bodily injury resulting in brain damage and paralysis. T