Children in Crisis: Fentanyl Overdose Deaths in WA’s CPS-Involved Kids
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A Disturbing Trend Across the State
Washington’s child welfare agency, DCYF, documented a sharp rise in “critical incidents”—child fatalities or near-fatal overdoses within 12 months of involvement with CPS—from 23 in 2019 to 51 in 2023, with projections reaching 61 in 2024Washington State Department of Health+15Child Welfare Monitor+15Reddit+15. Alarmingly, the proportion of incidents involving fentanyl skyrocketed over that time: from just 4 in 2019, up to 35 in 2024. Child Welfare Monitor.
In 2023, 49 critical incidents were reviewed—33 of them involved fentanyl exposure.
88% of these incidents affected children under 2 years old, making infants and toddlers the most vulnerable groupThe Columbian+3Washington State Standard+3News From The States+3.
Even in Everett alone, responders treated three suspected fentanyl ingestions in infants over one week in April 2024, including a tragic death of a 13‑month‑old child. Shoreline Area News+3KUOW+3Reddit+3.
Ombuds reports 92 children in Washington state killed or nearly killed in first 6 months of 2025. OFCO investigates complaints about state agencies involved with children in need of protection, those in state care, and families involved with the child welfare system due to allegations of maltreatment.
“There was an increase in the first quarter of 2025, both fatalities and near-fatalities. That went up to 47 in the first quarter,” Dowd said, displaying a graph showing that many of the incidents involved fentanyl and accidental ingestion.
Dowd noted that his office typically does not release data for the current year, but given the alarming increase in incidents, he felt compelled to share the data.
“We didn’t want to give the impression that things are getting better, and are actually starting to decline, when in fact we had preliminary information for the first quarter of 2025 that might paint a very different picture,” he explained.
The director noted he received new data this week for the second quarter of 2025 that is nearly as alarming as the first quarter.
“For the second quarter of 2025, it showed 45 AIRS reports [Administrative Incident Reporting System] involving child fatalities or near-fatalities, compared to 47 in the first quarter. There were six cases involving accidental ingestion of fentanyl by children ages 0 to 3,” he said.
Why the Current System Isn’t Working
Many of these incidents took place in homes where CPS assessments previously rated the risk as “moderate” or “high”, yet no immediate removal occurred. In many cases, even as children continued to be exposed, they remained in unsafe environments under voluntary service plans or minimal oversight.
Fatal reviews uncovered repeated failures: closed cases when parents didn’t comply, poor substance assessments, failure to verify past incidents, and overwhelmed caseworkers handling excessive caseloads or inexperienced staff—all contributing to delayed or non-existent removals. Child Welfare Monitor.
The Lockbox: Symbol or Safety Tool?
In response, CPS began issuing lockboxes—secure containers with Narcan and pamphlets—to families where fentanyl use was identified in the home. KIRO 7 News Seattle+10KGW+10Reddit+10. DCYF has defended these boxes, saying they offer a tool for families to protect children and may be adopted later even if not immediately used. Child Welfare Monitor+7KGW+7Reddit+7.
But child welfare experts and advocates say this falls drastically short. One foster aunt described a horrific case where baby Otis died despite his father having a lockbox, because fentanyl and drug residue were left outside it. Otis was found deceased in a car seat, while CPS failed to act despite repeated alerts about the father’s apparent drug use and negligent behavior. KGW+1Reddit+1.
A critic bluntly wrote:
“That is a true joke… So much bigger than a lockbox.”
Reddit users, including a DCYF worker, echoed widespread concerns:
“From observing public fent users' behavior, it seems unlikely that someone that deep in the throes of addiction is even capable of something like ‘responsibly and consistently using a lockbox’.”KGWReddit
“A lockbox seems like it will fix the problem” … “What a bandaid. Insane.”—capturing frustration that this approach masks deeper systemic issues. Reddit+1Reddit+1.
Why Lockboxes Aren’t Enough
Fentanyl is lethally potent—even trace residue or foil can kill a baby, far faster than parents can vigilantly control access.
Addiction impairs judgement—relying on those who are actively using to properly lock and use the box is unrealistic.
CPS risk assessments miss many cues—lockboxes don’t address systemic failures like improper screenings or insufficient interventions.
Legal policy changes shifted removal thresholds—under the Keeping Families Together Act, removal requires imminent harm. Even fentanyl exposure doesn’t always trigger that threshold—though SB 6109 now requires courts to give “great weight” to synthetic opioid lethality, implementation has been unevenReddit+1Reddit+1Reddit+4Child Welfare Monitor+4Reddit+4.
Calls for Meaningful Action
Experts and impacted families have urged lawmakers to repeal policies that reduce CPS’s removal authority, such as the Keeping Families Together Act. They advocate stronger legal clarity for SB 6109, more rigorous removal when fentanyl is present—and better resourcing for experienced staff and smaller caseloads in CPS.
📌 Final Thoughts
Washington state’s CPS system is in crisis: infants and toddlers are dying from fentanyl exposure, more frequently than ever before, with lockboxes increasingly inadequate as a protective measure.
Unless there is systemic change—stronger legal standards, improved assessments, and decisive interventions—these preventable tragedies will continue.
