Pickaway County woman charged in connection with 1-year-old's death
According to Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew O. Hafey, on the morning of Oct. 27, Brittany M. Stroud was taken into custody in Columbus by the Columbus Police Department on an outstanding arrest warrant in connection with her 1-year-old child’s death.
Stroud was transported to the Pickaway County Jail without incident, where she will remain in custody until her initial arraignment in the Circleville Municipal Court.
Sheriff Hafey would like to thank his Detective Bureau for their relentless effort and the countless hours they have spent working on this case and taking her into custody.
Sheriff Hafey would also like to thank the Columbus Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the United States Marshal Service for all their unwavering assistance during this case.
According to Sheriff Hafey, on Oct. 13 at 11:14 a.m., deputies from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and Scioto Township EMS were dispatched to an Orient location on a report of a 1-year-old not breathing.
Scioto Township EMS arrived on scene first, started CPR and immediately transported the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Deputies then arrived on scene and made contact with the child’s mother, Stroud, 30, who was on scene. A detective arrived on scene as well.
At 11:56 a.m., the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office received notice that the 1-year-old child was pronounced deceased at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Detectives learned while working with Franklin County Children Services and National Youth Advocate Program that due to a court order out of Franklin County, the child was supposed to be in the custody of Tammy M. Stroud, 52. Also, due to the court order, Brittany Stroud was not to have unsupervised visitation with the child.
On Oct. 14, an autopsy was performed at the Franklin County Coroner’s Office on the child. During the autopsy, it was discovered that the 17-month-old child had a fatal amount of fentanyl in her system.
After the autopsy, Detectives from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the Orient residence where this incident allegedly occurred. Evidence was seized from the residence.
A handful of other search warrants have been executed on this case. Detectives have been working with the Columbus Police Department concerning this investigation.
On Oct. 16, Detective Sgt. Robert Dauberman filed charges on this matter on Brittany Stroud for involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; child endangerment, a felony of the third degree; and possession of a controlled substance, a felony of the fifth degree.
Charges were also filed on Tammy Stroud for complicity to involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; complicity to child endangerment, a felony of the third degree; and complicity to possession of a controlled substance, a felony of the fifth degree. Arrest warrants were issued for both Brittany and Tammy Stroud.
In the evening of Oct. 18, Tammy Stroud turned herself in to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office on the arrest warrant. Tammy Stroud was arraigned in the Circleville Municipal Court on Oct. 19 and was given a $250,000 bond.
Officers were seeking the whereabouts of Brittany Stroud before eventually arresting her Oct. 27.