CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A Virginia mother has pleaded guilty to killing her 2-year-old son by providing him liquid methadone to make him sleep, leading to a fatal overdose, prosecutors said.
The prosecution's summary of evidence as reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch shows that before her son received the liquid methadone, Sherrell M. Rivera, 32, conducted multiple Google searches about the liquid uses of the drug and its side effects, including a search of whether the addictive substance would “slow breathing.”
Rivera had a prescription for methadone to treat an opioid addiction. Chesterfield Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Ken Chitty said evidence indicated that Rivera mixed an undetermined amount of the drug into the child's sippy cup, which also contained baby formula and chocolate syrup.
The boy, who was addicted from birth from his mother’s drug dependency, died Nov. 14, 2020 of methadone toxicity.
Chesterfield Circuit Judge David E. Johnson accepted the plea agreement that allowed Rivera to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter instead of felony murder, as she was originally charged, in addition to a count of felony child neglect. Johnson convicted her of both counts and set sentencing for Nov. 7.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
