Oakland Mother and Boyfriend Charged with Child Abuse After Son's Drug Poisoning
A mother and her boyfriend in Oakland face child abuse charges after their five-year-old son was found unconscious with fentanyl and cocaine in his system.
On the evening of June 21, officers were called to a home on Thornhill Drive in Oakland after a five-year-old boy was reported unresponsive. The child had been eating dinner with his mother, Sarah Rothenberg, her boyfriend, Mario Houston Rojas, and his grandfather, who is his legal guardian. First responders found the boy unconscious and struggling to breathe; he was given Narcan and later intubated, remaining in critical but stable condition.
Hospital tests revealed fentanyl and cocaine in his bloodstream. Rothenberg and Rojas were taken into custody the following day on child abuse charges; Rothenberg was released on her own recognizance and Rojas posted bail, with both slated to appear in court Thursday. Investigators noted drug-related paraphernalia and pills found in the home but have not disclosed how the child was exposed.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious child safety concerns and the legal response to drug exposure in a home.
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