No Bail for Mother of New Bedford Child Who Swallowed Heroin Bag

NEW BEDFORD — A New Bedford woman has been ordered held without bail on several charges after her child choked on a bag of heroin.

The incident happened last Tuesday. Court records show New Bedford Police and paramedics were called to an apartment on Grinnell Street on August 28 for a report of a child not breathing. First responders had been told the 21-month-old child was choking on a piece of plastic. The boy's mother, Saranah Raposa, 30, later admitted to police that her son had actually swallowed a baggie containing fentanyl-laced heroin that she had in the apartment.

The child was transported to St. Luke's Hospital and put on a Narcan drip before being transferred to Boston Children's Hospital where his condition improved.

The 21-month-old boy and Raposa's 4-year-old son are now in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Raposa, who had not been placed into custody. She was arrested in Attleboro earlier this week and charged with reckless endangerment to a child under 14, possession of heroin and assault and battery on a child with a dangerous weapon (a bag of heroin).

Raposa was transported to Third District Court in New Bedford on Tuesday where she was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, which will take place Thursday.