Mom admits she left fentanyl in reach of Tri-Cities toddler who nearly died
A Tri-Cities woman was sentenced for leaving fentanyl lying around, leading to the near-fatal overdose of her toddler.
Cierra S. Boak, 30, of Kennewick, admitted Tuesday that she left fentanyl on a nightstand where her 1-year-old daughter could reach it.
She woke up to find her daughter unresponsive on Feb. 3. At the time she said she did not know what happened, but later admitted the girl may have gotten into the fentanyl, according to court documents.
Once officers discovered Boak’s history of fentanyl use, they alerted medical staff trying to save the baby at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. The girl responded when the used Narcan, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses.
The girl’s father now has custody of her, said Deputy Prosecutor Taylor Anderson.
Boak said in court that she had gathered all of her drugs, intending to throw them away and go into treatment the next day.
Anderson said the only reason Boak wasn’t being charged with a felony is that there are no charges that fit the crime. She was initially arrested on suspicion of assault of a child.
She changed her plea to guilty and was sentenced Tuesday for reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor.
Benton County Superior Court Judge Jackie Shea-Brown sentenced Boak to one year in jail with six months suspended. She is expected to be released in early July, once credit for time served is applied.
She will then have to make weekly check-ins with the court and any future contact with her daughter will be determined by a family court judge.
Shea-Brown also expressed frustration with the lack of a more appropriate charge for Boak.
While Boak had asked for additional time served for a 28-day stint in rehab, Anderson pushed back, noting this was far from the first time she had heard that from Boak.
Boak said those 28 days were the most impactful, and she is forever changed as a mother and as a person.
“It was the only time I was actually forced to look at my life and my drug addiction, and most importantly the pain I’ve caused because of my drug addiction,” she said. “This has been the biggest trauma I have ever endured. This was soul shaking.”
Defense Attorney Scott Rodgers tried to make the case that Boak was committed to staying sober, but noted that her history as a victim of sex trafficking put her on a hard path earlier in life. He noted that this was when she was introduced to drugs.
Shea-Brown said that while she understood how difficult Boak’s life has been, she is still responsible for her actions. She said that Boak’s decision to leave drugs in a place where a small child could reach them raised worrying questions about her decision-making.
“Thank god your child is alive,” Shea-Brown said. “Secondly, you are accountable for why you are here. It was you who made the decision and there is no excusing your decision to leave drugs out.”
Shea-Brown said that Boak had made steps toward a better life, but being released will present new challenges, and starting with weekly check-ins will help her remain accountable.
“I want to acknowledge that you have done work in a meaningful way to reflect that you want to change and are committed to that,” she said. “That’s very promising, that certainly is a good thing.”
