New Bedford mother faces judge after toddler swallows heroin
By John Krinjak
Email: jkrinjak@abc6.com
Twitter: @johnkrinjakABC6
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — 30-year-old Saranah Raposa covered her face as she went before a New Bedford judge Tuesday. She pled not guilty to charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child, after her 21-month-old son swallowed part of a bag of heroin.
"Kind of sad, a little kid exposed to drugs this early," said Raposa’s neighbor Alexis Maldonado.
Last Tuesday a neighbor called 911. Police responded to Raposa’s Grinnell Street apartment after the boy stopped breathing. Raposa apparently told an officer the toddler had ingested plastic. The cop ran outside with the child, where EMTs tried to revive him with little success.
First responders did not know that plastic was actually a bag containing heroin-that is until detectives went back into the apartment, where they say Raposa finally told them the truth. New Bedford firefighters then jumped into action.
"They initiated a Narcan drip for this child to bring him back," said prosecutor Chris Abreu.
The boy had to be med-flighted to Boston Children’s Hospital, where fentanyl was found in his system.
"He was on a Narcan drip for four days until his condition stabilized," said Abreu.
Bobby Duarte, who says he’s a friend of Raposa’s, told me she had been on methadone treatment.
"She was actually in the clinic, she was in recovery, she was getting help. And somehow, some way she ended up getting cut off. And at the end of the day she relapsed," said Duarte. "She’s sick, she’s suffering, you going to make her suffer more in jail, or she can get out and get some help."
Neighbors say they’re saddened by this, but not shocked.
"Not a huge surprise. It’s New Bedford. Things like this normally happen, but not to kids," said Maldonado.
We’re told following that Narcan treatment, the toddler’s condition continues to improve.
Raposa has been ordered held without bail. She’s due back in court on Thursday.
© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2018
