Houma woman faces negligent homicide charges in infant's overdose death

A Houma woman has been charged with negligence following the fentanyl overdose death of her six-week-old child.

Meghan Ashleigh Cortez, 30, is charged with negligent homicide after she was found with her unresponsive infant Feb. 5 at her home in the 100 block of St. Louis Street. She was arrested by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office June 3.

According to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office, she awoke from a sleep Feb. 5 to find the infant unresponsive, called 911 and began CPR on her child.

When deputies arrived, they continued CPR on the child until Bayou Cane Fire/Medical personnel arrived and took over the life-saving measures and rushed the infant to a nearby hospital.

A news release from the Sheriff's Office said Cortez admitted to using heroin in the late afternoon hours prior to the incident. Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office concluded through a toxicology screen in April that the infant's death was due to a fentanyl overdose.

Cortez is in the Terrebonne Parish jail on a $500,000 bond by local judges.