A grandmother is facing several charges after officers believe she passed out in a parked car from fentanyl use, and exposed her 10-month-old granddaughter to the drug.Â
On Friday, May 3rd at 10:35PM a Tigard Police officer was patrolling the Tigard Plaza Shopping Center when he came upon an unlicensed Jeep that was parked and running. The officer saw the driver appeared to be passed out behind the wheel, and drug paraphernalia was out in plain view. The officer also saw there was a 10-month-old baby in the back seat, sitting in a car seat.Â
The officer woke up the driver, who was later identified as Julia Apostello, age 53, from Portland. Officers learned Ms. Apostello is the baby’s grandmother. She was arrested and placed in a patrol car. Officers also contacted the baby’s mother, who was inside a nearby business with her 4-year-old child, at the time. She returned to the Jeep and told officers she’d been gone for roughly half an hour.
Out of a concern for the baby’s safety and potential exposure to drugs, the 10-month-old was taken to the hospital. Medical personnel confirmed the baby tested positive for fentanyl, and the baby remained there for treatment. Ms. Apostello was taken to the Washington County Jail, where she’s facing charges of criminal mistreatment I, child neglect II, endangering the welfare of a minor, criminal mistreatment II and recklessly endangering.
Officers recovered a powdered substance from the Jeep, which was tested at the Tigard Police Department. The rapid test identified the substance as fentanyl.
