OCEAN GATE — A 32-year-old Ocean Gate woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child following the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
Jenna O’Connor was taken into custody without incident on July 22 and is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
According to authorities, detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit responded to Community Medical Center in Toms River on July 17 for a report of a toddler in critical condition. The child was later airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she died on July 21. Medical testing revealed methadone in the child’s system.
An investigation determined that O’Connor, the child’s mother, had been caring for her daughter at home on July 16 and 17. Authorities say the child had access to methadone in the residence. O’Connor reportedly called 911 after finding the child unresponsive in her crib on the morning of July 17.
“The death of this baby is tragic. The investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming,” Billhimer said in a statement.
Billhimer credited multiple agencies for their assistance, including the Ocean County Special Victims Unit, Ocean Gate Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
