New Jersey mom carelessly leaves fentanyl out in the house, killing 2-year old son

A Lacey Township woman is being charged with causing the death of her 2-year old son leaving him exposed to illegal narcotics.

It was on September 7 that Lacey Police said they received a call from 34-year old Natalie Sabie that her son was found unresponsive in their home.

Lacey Police Chief Michel DiBella and Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement on Tuesday that from there, police officers and paramedics attempted life saving measures on the toddler but were unsuccessful.

The child was pronounced dead a short time later after being taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River.

An investigation that followed the death of the little boy by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, Lacey Police and Lacey Police Detectives found that Sabie was indeed home with the child at the time and responsible for his well being.

Investigators said that they learned the child "had access to illegal narcotics while in his mother's care, and that two other minor children resided in the home at the time." 

After the initial phase of the investigation, an exam and toxicology report were ordered and took place to learn the cause of death -- ingesting fentanyl.

“On September 9, 2022, a post mortem examination was performed on the child by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office; the results of the examination remained inconclusive pending toxicology analysis," Prosecutor Billhimer said in a written statement. "On October 12, 2022, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office received the toxicology report, which revealed the presence of a significant amount of fentanyl in the child’s system. Based upon this report, a forensic pathologist has made an initial determination that the child’s cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication."

Sabie has been arrested, charged, and brought to the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing for Aggravated Manslaughter for causing the death of her two year-old son and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and possession of Fentanyl.