COLUMBUS, Ohio-Stephanie Whitley, a Columbus woman, received a 10 to 14-year prison sentence for injecting her 9-month-old infant with opioids, leading to near-fatal consequences. Whitley pleaded guilty to charges of felonious assault, endangering children, and tampering with evidence.
She was arrested after hospital staff reported seeing her inject an unknown substance into the baby with a syringe. The infant had to be resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest. Analysis revealed the syringe contained opioids and cough syrup chemicals. Whitley’s defense cited her mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. Whitley tearfully apologized in court, expressing love for her children, but sobbed upon hearing the sentence.
