Wednesday, December 28th 2022, 6:19 pm
Paramedics struggled to save a local toddler who likely overdosed on opioids on Christmas Day, according to Oklahoma City police officials.
Officers arrested Tanisha McKenzie, 39, for allegedly interfering in first responders giving Narcan to her 2-year-old son and attempting to remove the child from the ambulance.
First responders found the 2-year-old boy unconscious in a bed at the family's northwest Oklahoma City apartment just after midnight Christmas Day.
“This child was in medical distress,” Msgt. Gary Knight with the Oklahoma City Police Department said.
According to the report, McKenzie called 911. Paramedics told police they had to explain to the uncooperative mother why Narcan was needed to save the child's life.
“The 2-year-old appeared to have suffered some type of opioid overdose,” Knight said. “It is unclear at this time how the child received the drugs, whether the child found them, or someone inadvertently gave it to them.”
Police said the boy's father was also home. The parents accused each other of illegal drug use and did not have consistent stories.
Officers did a safety sweep of the home but did not find any evidence of drugs.
Paramedics were able to revive the child with Narcan and put him in an ambulance.
McKenzie also got onboard and allegedly tried to take her son off the gurney.
“She apparently created quite a ruckus as they were trying to treat the child,” Knight said.
Police arrested McKenzie at the scene for child neglect and disorderly conduct.
“Ultimately, she was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on multiple charges,” Knight said.
Police said there were two other children in the home, and the State Department of Human Services was called to the scene.
Jennifer Pierce is an Emmy-award-winning reporter for News 9 and has been on staff since 2017. While most days, she covers crime in the metro and court cases, she enjoys telling the stories of Native Americans in Oklahoma. Jennifer is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation. She takes pride in the success her tribe and the many other tribes in Oklahoma have gained in recent years.
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