Detroit woman charged with deadly fentanyl overdose of grandson, 8

(WJBK) - A 59-year-old Detroit woman has been charged in the fatal overdose of her grandson at a July, 2017 party. 

Gail Townsend Finley was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of child abuse second degree and received a $50,000/10 percent bond. 

Early in the police investigation it was thought Jamere Arnold, 8, had died from alcohol poisoning. Later it was found to be an overdose from fentanyl inside the home in the 19900 block of Conley Street.

Police say Finley left drugs accessible to her grandson, which resulted in Jamere’s death and it is alleged that she failed to provide a safe environment for her grandson.

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Detroit Fire medics were called to the home late in the evening on July 5, 2017 responding to a 911 call for a child not breathing. The medics transported the child to a local hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. 

It was determined that the child died from fatal ingestion of fentanyl at the residence.