A Portland woman whose toddler died from fentanyl poisoning was sentenced to nearly six years in prison Tuesday.
Kelsey Haws, 33, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, criminal mistreatment and attempted assault three months ago in the death of her son Anthony.
The poisoning took place June 19, 2023. The boy, who was just two months shy of his second birthday, got ahold of a plastic straw used to smoke fentanyl that his mom had left in their Northeast 120th Avenue apartment.
The boy’s grandmother, who was watching the child while Haws was at work, first noticed that the child was unresponsive and called 911, according to an affidavit. Paramedics gave the child Narcan, the brand name for naloxone, a medication used to try to reverse opioid overdoses. He was brought to the hospital, where he died two days later.
After Anthony died, detectives found the straw, which tested positive for traces of fentanyl in a drawer next to a doodle by a 7-year-old sibling, Detective Michael Jones said in court documents.
Haws told the detective Anthony had knocked over the drawer, “but she was in a rush and did not look closely when cleaning,” the affidavit said, adding that “fentanyl users keep their tooter straws because they can scrape the inside to get residue.”
Prosecutors also stated in court documents that four more fentanyl pills were found inside a lockbox marked “Loko 4 Ever” that was typically kept in her apartment.
Neighbors told detectives that Haws’ children were frequently unsupervised, according to the affidavit, and two separately said they had shared their concerns with the Oregon Department of Human Services, without action.
During the investigation following the toddler’s death, detectives also examined the apartment and found garbage and animal feces strewn throughout the home, according to court records.
Haws worked full-time at a sportswear store near the airport at the time of the incident, and has two other children. Anthony’s father was in prison at the time of the child’s death and is still serving his sentence, according to prosecutors.
After an autopsy, the cause of the child’s death was listed as “acute fentanyl intoxication, and the medical examiner noted the child’s severe chronic pneumonia was likely also a contributing factor in the death.
At Tuesday’s sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Charles Mickley discussed the lasting impact of the child’s death.
“This case started as a tragedy … a needless and senseless death that could have been prevented,” Mickley said. “Nothing that we do can bring Anthony back. That’s a crime that will sit with Ms. Haws for the rest of her life. Presumably she’s done what she can to put herself in the best position moving forward.”
Haws’ case manager spoke at the sentencing about her sobriety since the incident and described her as a “grieving mother.” She said Haws had voluntarily checked herself into inpatient and outpatient treatment programs and volunteered in the community to help people struggling with addiction.
Haws also spoke in court, detailing through tears her responsibility for her son’s death and her hopes to be better for her other children.
“I live every day with so much regret, knowing that if I had just been the mom Anthony deserved, he would still be here,” Haws said. “I am choosing to live my life clean and sober and always trying to be a better person each day than I was the day before. I know it is because of my selfishness and addiction that Anthony will never grow up.”
Haws was sentenced to 13 months in prison for criminal mistreatment and 19 months in prison for the attempted assault charge. Both sentences will run concurrently with the 70-month sentence for criminally negligent homicide. She will also serve three years of post-prison supervision.
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