COLUMBUS – A 36-year-old Columbus woman, Dakota Smith, was arrested and preliminarily charged with neglect after her three-year-old child reportedly overdosed on drugs last Friday, January 17, 2025. The child, who was believed to have ingested fentanyl or heroin, was taken to the hospital but later released after receiving treatment.
The Columbus Police Department responded to a call at Columbus Fire Station 1, located at 1101 Jackson St., at approximately 11:50 a.m. Smith had dropped off her child at the fire station, where officers learned that the child had been taken by medical personnel to the hospital with symptoms consistent with an opioid overdose.
Following the incident, investigators executed search warrants on a home on West Suburban Court and Smith’s vehicle. Authorities believe the child may have ingested the drugs from personal items belonging to Smith while under her care.
Smith was arrested and booked into the Bartholomew County Jail on a charge of neglect of a dependent, a level 6 felony. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges could be filed as authorities continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the overdose.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
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