Arizona woman accused of murder after child's death from fentanyl | Crime Files
PHOENIX - Court documents have revealed more about the death of a toddler in Phoenix.
The death happened just over a year ago, and now, the child's mother is facing multiple criminal accusations.
Here are the details.
Who's the suspect?
Lynandra Walton
Investigators identified the suspect as Lynandra Walton.
Now 38, Walton was 37 when the child died.
What happened?
Investigators say at around 12:30 p.m. on June 15, 2023, Phoenix Police officers were called to an apartment in the area of 55th Avenue and Indian School Road. When officers arrived, they were led to the apartment, where Walton was found performing chest Compressions on the victim, who was her child.
The child was later taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where the child was pronounced dead. Per court documents, a subsequent report from the Medical Examiner's Office states that the child died of fentanyl toxicity.
Walton, police say, told officers at the scene that she was staying at the apartment for only one night. She woke up at around 6:00 a.m. that day and found the child was acting normally. She later went back to sleep, only to wake up later and found the child non-responsive.
"During the preliminary response and investigation, responding officers observed several pieces of foil with burnt residue, consistent with fentanyl use, scattered throughout the main bedroom and bathroom," read a portion of the court documents. "Officers also observed several circular light blue pills stamped with M30 in the main bedroom, which were believed to be fentanyl."
A subsequent search of the apartment by Phoenix Police also found several pills that are recognized to be fentanyl pills from the main bedroom, as well as several items of drug paraphernalia. Baby items were also found on the bed and floor, next to the drug and drug paraphernalia.
Per court documents, officials with the Arizona Department of Child Safety later told investigators that Walton had "multiple previous reports involving illicit drug use, including opiates, cocaine, THC, and methadone, and abolished rights with her other four children."
"Lynandra had four incidents documented with DCS in 2007, 2009, 2014, and 2022, which all documented the birth of four of her children where both she and her children were substance addicted at birth," investigators wrote.
Walton was arrested on the morning of June 27, 2024, investigators wrote. After she was taken to Phoenix Police headquarters, Walton told investigators that she used fentanyl a few days before the child's death, and used Xanax and marijuana the night prior to the incident.
What is the suspect being accused of?
(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo/Released)
Court documents state that Walton is accused of 1st degree murder during the course of a crime (A.R.S. 13-1105A2), child abuse (A.R.S. 13-3623A1), narcotic drug possession (A.R.S. 13-3408A1), and possession of drug paraphernalia (A.R.S. 13-3415A).
A judge has set a $1 million bond for Walton. Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8.