'Disappointed': No Prison Time For MN Mom In 3-Year-Old's Drug Death

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said she is not happy with the lighter sentence given to a woman convicted in the fentanyl death of her 3-year-old son.

Instead of jail time, Queenetta McDaniel received a sentence Wednesday of four years of probation, a downward departure from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines.

“I’m disappointed in the court’s decision given the facts of this case,” said County Attorney Kathy Keena. “Such a tragic and senseless death due to the negligence of Ms. McDaniel. My sincere condolences to Amier’s family and loved ones.”

McDaniel pled guilty to one count of manslaughter in the second degree (commit or attempt to commit neglect or endangerment of a child) on July 24, 2023.

Police and emergency medical providers were called to an apartment in West St. Paul around 7:45 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2020.

McDaniel said she awoke and noticed her 3-year-old son was not breathing and appeared to have vomited, authorities said. She told police the boy was conscious and well at 11 p.m. the previous night before going to sleep, according to the criminal complaint.

The boy was taken by ambulance to a hospital and died there soon after.

Police suspected McDaniel was under the influence of drugs because of her behavior at the apartment and the hospital, according to the complaint. Investigators collected a sample of McDaniel’s blood, and a toxicology analysis detected fentanyl.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner determined that the cause of Amier’s death was acute fentanyl toxicity.

Keena thanked Assistant Criminal Division Head Stacy St. George, who prosecuted this case, and the West St. Paul Police for leading the investigation.