A California woman was sentenced to one year in jail and four years of probation after pleading no contest to child endangerment in connection with her toddler’s fentanyl overdose, according to court records. The 23-year-old mother, Gabriella Goldberg, was also ordered to complete 52 weeks of parenting classes.
The case stems from a January 15, 2022 incident in which Goldberg’s young son was rushed to the hospital after being found unresponsive in their apartment on Kroll Way near Gosford Road.
Prosecutors say Goldberg and the child’s father, John Lawson, admitted to smoking fentanyl before the boy arrived. While they lay in bed, the child wandered off and was later found motionless on the floor. Authorities later discovered a straw containing fentanyl residue just inches from where he was found.
Lawson, who also pleaded no contest to the toddler’s fentanyl overdose, was sentenced last year.
The sentencing comes amid growing concerns over fentanyl-related deaths and negligent exposure to the drug, especially among children. In Santa Rosa last month, two high school students died from fentanyl overdoses, leading to an arrest for drug-related homicide. The increasing number of such cases underscores the devastating impact of fentanyl abuse and the dangers of neglect in environments where the drug is present.
