LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas mother has been arrested and is facing child abuse and neglect charges after her 17-month-old son swallowed several pills that were laced with fentanyl.
According to an arrest report, this happened at a home on University Center Drive on April 26. Police said Regena Amber Coyle was at home with her son and was in the kitchen making lunch. She told officers she lost sight of the child and shortly after, she heard him say "Mmmm." She told officers she saw a blue pill in his mouth, which she identified as fentanyl-laced Percocet. Officers said Coyle told them the child had swallowed two to three pills and attempted to make him throw up, which he didn't.
Coyle added she thought she had Narcan but wasn't able to find it so she Googled where she could find Narcan and drove to East Valley Family Services on Sahara Avenue. Office workers told police Coyle asked about Narcan and they told her they could administer it but can't give it out . That's when they said Coyle walked out and that she didn't seem panicked or concerned.
Coyle said as she was leaving, her child stopped breathing. That's when she yelled for help and staff from the office began administering CPR until first responders arrived and took the child to Sunrise Hospital. According to the arrest report, the child was put on a Narcan drip until his vital signs improved.
Police add that Coyle could have taken the child to the hospital, which was just a mile and a half from her home.
When asked about the pills, the arrest report states Coyle told police she does not have a prescription, knows they are laced with fentanyl, and takes about five or six a day to "help with her back pain and thoughts in her head."
Coyle's boyfriend told police he was suspicious about her drug use because she would do "odd things" like go into gas station bathrooms for a long time, large sums of money would go missing, and she would "just disappear." He said Coyle stashes fentanyl pills around the house and has an addiction. When searching Coyle's car, officers stated they found 14 blue pills.
Coyle is due back in court on June 6.
