Rochester woman pleads not guilty to child endangerment after toddler ingests fentanyl

(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: A Rochester woman accused of child endangerment pleaded not guilty in Olmsted County Court Wednesday.

Rahmo Yussuf Salah, 23, is facing one count of endangering a child after her 1-year-old allegedly obtained half of a fentanyl from her purse and took it.

Rochester police responded to the overdose call on March 26, and arrested Salah afterward.

Her trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 5, 2024, with a pretrial hearing scheduled Jan. 30.

(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester woman is facing child endangerment charges after her 1-year-old ingested a fentanyl pill.

23-year-old Rahmo Yussuf Salah is facing one count of endangering a child and a fifth-degree drug possession charge.

Just after 8 p.m. on March 26, Rochester Police responded to an overdose call involving a one‐year‐old child at the 3000 block of Rose Heights Dr. in Southeast Rochester.

Dispatch advised officers that the caller stated the child had accidently taken a “drug pill” and was not breathing. When officers arrived the child was brought to an officer who ensured the child was breathing before the ambulance arrived.

While the child was receiving medical treatment the officer spoke with the child’s mother Rahmo Yusuf Salah.

Salah stated that child took a fentanyl pill that she had in her purse and the child had reached in the purse, grabbed the pill, and took it. The officer asked that Salah get her ID and followed her into the house where her purse was located. As Salah dug though the purse the officer noticed a few bundles of burnt tinfoil in the purse and then dumped the purse out on the floor.

The officer could see a blue M30 pill was discovered on the floor. M30 pills are well known by law enforcement to be counterfeit Percocet pills that contain fentanyl.

The officer also recovered a partial pill on the floor that was crushed. A field test of the pill came back inconclusive.

Salah admitted that the pills were fentanyl pills and that she had used fentanyl earlier in the day. She was placed under arrest and transported to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. Salah agreed to give a statement after being read the Miranda advisory.

She stated that she was in the bathroom with her daughter and took half of a fentanyl pill and placed the other half in her purse. When Salah then could not find the other half of the pill and noticed that her daughter was unable to stand or walk and kept rubbing her eyes.

Salah stated that she knew the child had eaten the other half of the pill and then yelled for someone to call 911.

Salah’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 11.