North Franklin mother whose child died of fentanyl poisoning to stand trial for homicide
Courtesy of Tyran Baltimore
Kennedy Baltimore died of fentanyl poisoning on June 10, less than four months before her second birthday. Her mother, Lindsey Rae Reho, is charged with homicide in connection with Kennedy’s death.
Lindsey Reho
The fiancé of the North Franklin mother whose toddler died of fentanyl poisoning in June can’t fathom that their daughter is dead or comprehend how it could have happened.
Tyran Baltimore described a “roller coaster of emotions” Wednesday afternoon following Lindsey Rae Reho’s preliminary hearing in Washington County Central Court in connection with the death of Kennedy Baltimore, who would have turned 2 later this month.
“Sadness, depressed, just trying to cope with what happened,” Baltimore said while standing outside the county courthouse. “I love Lindsey. I love Kennedy. Continue to pray for our family and I’ll continue to pray for yours.”
Kennedy died of fentanyl poisoning on June 10, although it’s not clear how she ingested the lethal drug. According to court documents, Reho allegedly told state police investigators that she threw away old drugs and paraphernalia in the kitchen garbage can before leaving the apartment the day of the child’s death.
When Reho returned, she told police that she cooked breakfast, and put her daughter in her crib. Baltimore later found the girl unresponsive in her crib, according to court documents. The child was taken to Washington Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Reho was charged Sept. 19 with criminal homicide, child endangerment and reckless endangerment after the coroner’s office said it found fentanyl in the child’s system during the autopsy. Baltimore, who lived with Reho and their daughter in a Hancock Street apartment in North Franklin Township where the incident occurred, is not accused of any wrong-doing.
Rather than listen to testimony about the case, Reho opted to waive all charges to court during her preliminary hearing before District Judge Kelly Stewart.
“Obviously, it’s a tragic circumstance and horrible crime that a young child lost her life due to fentanyl,” Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said after Wednesday’s hearing.
Reho’s defense attorney, Blaine Jones, said “she cared deeply for her child” and would never want to harm Kennedy, whose second birthday would have been Oct. 29.
“Lindsey is devastated beyond words,” Jones said. “I can’t even articulate … the pain she is going through. She wants to work this out. She is showing contrition. She wants her child back.”
While court documents allege that Reho was a daily heroin user, Jones said she has been clean for six years, so he’s not sure how fentanyl could have been introduced to the child.
“She’s in a very difficult place mentally,” Jones said. “This is shocking to her because there has been nothing like that in the house.”
Reho is being held without bond at the Washington County jail while awaiting trial. It’s not known whether Walsh plans to seek the death penalty against Reho.