Jestice James faces murder charges in the deaths of her twin sons, Josiah James and Jestine James. (Apartment screenshot from KTTV/YouTube)
A Los Angeles mother faces murder charges in the deaths of her 3-year-old twin sons, who were allegedly exposed to drugs laced with fentanyl, prosecutors said.
Jestice James, 22, was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse/endangerment under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily harm or death related to her twins, Josiah James and Jestine James, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release. The charges carry a punishment of life in prison, prosecutors said.
“These innocent boys reportedly came into contact with fentanyl, an opioid that has wreaked havoc across our communities,” District Attorney George Gascón said in the news release. “This tragedy is part of a disturbing trend where babies and toddlers are increasingly becoming victims of the opioid crisis. The deadly capabilities of fentanyl cannot be overstated, and it is our collective responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. My office is committed to holding accountable anyone who exposes vulnerable children to such dangerous substances.”
The case came to light on Thursday. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a radio call about a child death investigation after the boys’ mother discovered them unresponsive at an apartment in Canoga Park, about 24 miles northwest of downtown LA. The boys were taken to a hospital where Josiah died that night. Jestine died two days later, the LAPD said in a news release.
The boys’ mother was arrested the night Josiah died. She was being held at the LA County Jail with bail set at $4 million, online booking records show. Her arraignment was set for July 31.
Neighbor Chris Burko told local station KTLA that he tried giving one of the boys CPR, and things got even more disturbing.
“I came in, there’s a kid sitting on the table, and I started giving him CPR, and my friend says, ‘Oh my God, there’s another one,”” Burko told the station.
The boys had just celebrated their 3rd birthday on July 9.
“Twin brothers, Justine and Josiah received their wings 2 days after turning 3 years old,” a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for their funerals said. “We are reaching out to the public for help to give them the funeral and burial our beautiful little angels deserve. They were very loving and goofy babies, always laughing and very energetic like most 3 year olds. They brought much joy into our lives from the day they were born. Our hearts are broken. God bless you for helping us in our time of need.”
The boys’ godmother, Regina Holmes, said she was crushed.
“This is really hard for the family,” she said, local CBS affiliate KCBS/KCAL reported. “And we want to bring awareness about fentanyl and the seriousness of fentanyl. And anyone who has a family member, a friend, an associate who is indulging in that particular drug to know that it is a fatal drug.”
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