COLUMBUS– The Columbus Police Department (CPD) announced on Tuesday afternoon that both the mother and father of a child who overdosed on drugs last week have been arrested in connection with the incident. In addition to the mother, Dakota Smith, who was arrested earlier, the father, Dennis Roberts II, has also been taken into custody.
Dennis Roberts II, 35, of Columbus, has been preliminarily charged with Neglect of a Dependent, a Level 5 felony. CPD confirmed that Roberts’ arrest follows a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the overdose, which involved his three-year-old child.
The overdose occurred on Friday, January 17, when Smith’s three-year-old child was believed to have ingested fentanyl or heroin. The child was rushed to the hospital with symptoms consistent with an opioid overdose but was later treated and released.
Smith, 36, of Columbus, had dropped her child off at Columbus Fire Station 1, on Jackson Street, around 11:50 a.m. Upon arrival, the child was immediately transported to the hospital by medical personnel. Officers at the scene learned that the child had been experiencing symptoms of an overdose.
Following the incident, CPD executed search warrants at a home on West Suburban Court and Smith’s vehicle. Investigators believe the child may have ingested drugs from personal items belonging to Smith while under her care.
Dakota Smith was arrested and preliminarily charged with neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, and remains incarcerated at the Bartholomew County Jail. Roberts’ arrest was also linked to neglect of a dependent.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the overdose, with a focus on determining how the child came into contact with the drugs. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed against both parents as new information emerges.
Those facing charges are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
