Toddler, 18-months old, dies after ingesting opioid pill she found in a backpack in a charity shop

The 18-month-old, Azana Trentman, was rushed to the hospital on September 4 after consuming an opioid pill she found in a donated backpack and died days after. Her parents, Shayna Wood and Austen Trentman, called 911 saying their daughter was unresponsive after ingesting a then-unknown substance.

Azana’s parents, of Manchester, Indiana, had taken their daughter to a new thrift store in Dillsboro when their “world turned upside-down”, a post shared on Facebook by the toddler’s grandmother, Tawnya Wood, read. The post said: “They browsed items and Azana was playing with a backpack in the store. At some point Azana found something in the backpack and ingested it”.

Unsure of what his daughter ingested, Trentman took immediate action to clear her mouth and induce vomiting. He tasted the substance, noting “it tasted sweet, and it had a melted candy consistency”. Convinced the substance was likely candy, the family left the store and continued their errands.

It wasn't until her parents arrived home that they realized Azana was in need of immediate medical attention. The toddler was rushed to St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital in Lawrenceburg where she was then stabilized for transport to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

The Facebook post said: “After many days of testing, we finally got results that are devastating. “We are heartbroken that Azana is suffering due to someone’s negligence in leaving such a dangerous item in a donated backpack.

“We are also troubled by the thrift store's apparent failure to thoroughly inspect donated items before they are placed for sale”. The toxicology report indicated the substance was a fruit-flavoured dissolvable suboxone pill - a medication often used to treat opioid dependence.

A GoFundMe page created by a friend of the family reported the toddler was “still in critical condition at Children’s ICU”, on Saturday 7 September. Azana was declared brain dead the next day on Sunday. Dearborn County authorities are still investigating the 18-month-old's death as they await the autopsy report.