By The newspaper
May 31, 2024, 12:34 PM EDT
An adult woman faces charges in connection with the death of a 12-year-old girl from an apparent overdose at a Fort Lee, New Jersey, residence.
Frances Caso, 48, was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of controlled dangerous substances and possession of drug paraphernalia, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday in which the Fort Lee Police Department responded to a 911 call about an unconscious 12-year-old girl at a Maple Street residence.
The girl was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The death is believed to be due to a drug overdose and a multi-agency investigation has been launched into the matter.
A subsequent investigation reportedly found that Caso and three other minors were at the residence at the time of the alleged overdose. A search warrant allegedly found controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.
The investigation is ongoing. All charges are mere accusations and those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
In a similar case, in April parents pleaded “not guilty” after being charged with the overdose death of their 14-month-old baby in their home on Long Island (NY). In March, two adults were found dead of apparent overdoses in an apartment in New York.
In July 2023, three housemates were accused of throwing a woman’s body into a plastic container near an MTA yard in the Bronx. Apparently they were using drugs and she overdosed.
In November 2022, the body of actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. was thrown from a car onto a street in the Bronx. An autopsy later determined that he had died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine.
If you are a victim or suspect that someone is being abused, especially if it is a minor or elderly:
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- Review information at https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/es/ and www.988lineadevida.org