A Morris woman has been arrested and charged with felony child neglect following the fentanyl-related death of her three-yearold son last summer.
Jordan Shay Burks was arrested Wednesday evening and booked into the Okmulgee County Jail, where she remains held on a $50,000 bond following the filing of formal charges by Okmulgee County prosecutors on Tuesday.
According to a Probable Cause Affidavit, Okmulgee County Deputies responded to an emergency call on June 20, 2024, around 6 a.m., at a home where a three-year-old child was found unresponsive.
When deputies arrived at the scene, Burks reportedly exited the back door and shouted “bring Narcan” to first responders – a medication commonly used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Medical personnel attempted lifesaving efforts, but the child was pronounced dead. An autopsy conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the toddler died from fentanyl toxicity, and the death was ruled accidental.
During the investigation, Burks allegedly admitted to frequently finding drug-related items in her home and using opioids for nearly two years.
Prosecutors allege that Burks knowingly allowed fentanyl to be accessible within the home, ultimately leading to her son ingesting the lethal substance.
On Tuesday, Okmulgee County District Attorney Carol Iski formally charged Burks with one count of felony child neglect, stating: “On or about June 20, 2024, Jordan Shay Burks did unlawfully, willfully, knowingly, and wrongfully commit the crime of child neglect by allowing the controlled dangerous drug fentanyl to be within reach of and accessed by L.T., age 3, in which he ingested said drug, causing his death.”
Burks was scheduled to appear in Okmulgee County district court on Thursday.