Mom Charged In Fentanyl Death Of 2-Year-Old Lacey Son: Prosecutor

LACEY, NJ — A Lacey woman was charged with aggravated manslaughter after her 2-year-old son died from "acute fentanyl intoxication," the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Natalie Sabie, 34, was also charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and possession of fentanyl, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Sabie called Lacey police on Sept. 7, 2022 after she found her toddler son unresponsive, Billhimer said.

Police and paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive the boy, Billhimer said. He was taken to Community Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to Billhimer.

Sabie was home with the child and responsible for his care when he was found unresponsive, investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Lacey Township Police Department and Lacey Township Police Department Detective Bureau found.

The investigation also found that the boy had access to illegal narcotics in his mom's care and two other minor children also lived in the house at the time, Billhimer said.

"On September 9, 2022, a post-mortem examination was performed on the child by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office; the results of the examination remained inconclusive pending toxicology analysis," Billhimer said. "On October 12, 2022, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office received the toxicology report, which revealed the presence of a significant amount of fentanyl in the child’s system. Based upon this report, a forensic pathologist has made an initial determination that the child’s cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication."

Sabie was taken into custody and charged in connection with her son's death on Oct. 14, Billhimer said. She sits in Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.