Country singer Jelly Roll testified about the dangers of fentanyl at a Senate Banking Committee hearing, following a tragic incident in Colorado. A 33-year-old father, Alonzo Montoya, was convicted of child abuse resulting in death after his 22-month-old daughter, Aviyana Montoya, died from ingesting a lethal amount of fentanyl. The conviction also included racketeering charges.
Aviyana tragically died on January 2, 2022, after consuming 10 times the lethal dose of fentanyl for an adult user. The toddler had been placed in her crib at midnight, and no one checked on her for 14 hours. When her parents finally went to check on her, she was unresponsive, and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
An investigation by the Brighton Police Department and North Metro Task Force revealed that Montoya was running a drug operation out of his home. Video surveillance captured drug dealing and drug usage at the residence before, during, and after Aviyana’s death. The investigation also found that the toddler was teething and placing objects in her mouth, further increasing the risk of ingesting drugs.
Montoya was indicted on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, pattern of racketeering, conspiracy to commit a pattern of racketeering, child abuse resulting in death, child abuse involving exposure to controlled substance manufacturing activities, and child abuse in connection with another child. However, the murder charge was dismissed by a county judge who claimed that Montoya did not “knowingly” kill the toddler.
Despite the dismissal of the murder charge, Montoya faced trial, and on January 8, 2024, the jury found him guilty on all remaining charges. Prosecutors emphasized that Montoya operated a large-scale drug operation while his children were present, leading to the tragic death of Aviyana. Montoya is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4.
Nicole Casias, Aviyana’s mother and Montoya’s partner, was also indicted on the same charges and is set to go to trial on March 11.
The case has shed light on the dangers of fentanyl and the devastating consequences it can have, particularly on young children. Authorities have expressed outrage over the circumstances surrounding Aviyana’s death and emphasized the need to address the issue of drug abuse and its impact on families.
