Apple Valley couple charged with child abuse after their baby tests positive for fentanyl

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A mother and father from Apple Valley were released on their own recognizance by a superior court judge after pleading not guilty to child cruelty charges, following their arrest Monday after their 1-year-old child was exposed to fentanyl at their home, authorities said.

Austin Avina, 27, and Carla Veltri, 22, are scheduled to be back in court on July 31st on charges of felony child cruelty likely to cause great bodily injury or death.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, a deputy responded to the couple's home in the 9600 Block of Bowen Ranch Road after the child was hospitalized.

"A one-year-old child was brought to Loma Linda hospital for an inability to remain conscious and suffering from strange behavior," said Stuart Cullum, a detective with the San Bernardino County sheriff's department.

"The child was submitted to a battery of tests and ultimately tested positive for fentanyl in her urine."

The incident comes at a time when more and more cases of fentanyl exposure causing injury or death are being investigated by law enforcement.

"We have a major problem with fentanyl and it is impacting a lot of innocent children," said Jonathan Hatami, a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Hatami said he is personally investigating five cases currently in which children died because of fentanyl exposure, including an incident in Canoga Park in which the mother of 3-year-old twins was charged with murder after they died, allegedly exposed to fentanyl.

"I can tell you within the past year, we've had an enormous amount of cases where children have been around fentanyl, ingested fentanyl, or had smoke inhaled from fentanyl and as a result of that they die."

The child in the Apple Valley case has since been released from the hospital, though their condition remains unknown. The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Deputy S. Alvarez at the Victor Valley Sheriff's Station by calling 760-552-6800. You can also submit an anonymous tip via We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.