In a heartbreaking incident in Indiana, a toddler lost her life after accidentally consuming a pill used for treating opioid addiction. The pill was discovered in a backpack at a second-hand store, as per the family and local authorities. The 18-month-old child, Azana Trentman, fell sick on September 4 and was immediately taken to the hospital. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, she succumbed to the effects of the pill on September 8, as confirmed by the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office.
Azana’s parents, Austen Trentman and Shayna Wood, had taken their daughter to a thrift store in Dillsboro. While her parents were shopping, Azana began playing with a backpack. According to a social media post by her grandmother, Tawnya Wood, the toddler found something in the backpack and swallowed it. Her father, uncertain of what the substance was, induced vomiting in an attempt to clear her mouth.
The substance had a sweet taste and a consistency similar to melted candy, which led the family to assume it was harmless. They continued with their day, but their situation worsened upon returning home. After several days of testing, a toxicology report revealed that the substance was a fruit-flavored, dissolvable suboxone pill, a medication primarily used to treat opioid addiction, according to Harvard Medical School.
Following the incident, Azana was stabilized and transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, the toddler could not be saved. In a heart-wrenching decision, her parents chose to donate her organs to three recipients, ensuring that Azana’s legacy would live on in others.
Tawnya Wood expressed her sorrow and love for her granddaughter in a subsequent social media post, stating, “She brought immense joy and love into our lives, and her memory will forever remain in our hearts.” She also mentioned that Azana’s organ donation would not only save and improve the lives of three recipients but also allow Azana to live on through them.
A GoFundMe page was set up to support the family during this difficult time, surpassing its initial goal of $10,000 and raising over $19,000. A fundraiser is also planned for September 14 at the couple’s favorite local thrift store, which is different from the one where the tragic incident occurred.
The Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the toddler’s cause of death, awaiting results from the autopsy. The thrift store where the incident occurred has not been identified, but the family has expressed their disappointment and grief over the store’s apparent negligence in inspecting donated items before selling them.