YAKIMA, WA – A fifteen-month-old boy is dead, and two individuals are facing consequences after a jury found them culpable in his fentanyl-induced death. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian handed down sentences in the case this week, a grim reminder of the escalating fentanyl crisis gripping the nation.
Samantha Marie Tainewasher, 39, of Wapato, Washington, received time served on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter and one count of Use of a Communications Facility in the Commission of a Drug Felony. Her codefendant, Calvin James Hunt, 52, of Toppenish, Washington, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and one count of Use of a Communications Facility in the Commission of a Drug Felony. Both defendants will also serve 3 years of federal supervision following their release.
The tragedy unfolded on March 29, 2020, when Yakama Nation Police responded to a frantic call at Tainewasher’s Wapato home. Officers found Tainewasher rushing towards them, cradling her son who was unresponsive. Despite immediate CPR efforts, the child was pronounced dead at the hospital. A subsequent toxicology report confirmed the devastating cause: fentanyl poisoning. The boy had ingested a lethal dose while in his mother’s care.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Hunt and the couple’s drug activity. An FBI search of Hunt’s phone revealed a video recorded just two days before the child’s death. The video, a chilling snapshot of the environment the child was exposed to, showed methamphetamine, a fentanyl-laced pill, and drug paraphernalia scattered across Tainewasher’s bed. Further investigation uncovered Facebook records detailing Hunt and Tainewasher’s dealings in heroin, methamphetamine, and pills.
Perhaps most damning, Tainewasher herself posted on Facebook acknowledging her addiction and admitting its role in her son’s death – a digital confession that sealed her fate. “This case is incredibly tragic and heartbreaking,” stated Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “A 15-month-old child…ingested a deadly amount of fentanyl while in the care of his mother…No sentence will be able to replace the loss of life of this young victim.”
The FBI led the investigation, with the prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Ellis and Timothy J. Ohms. This case serves as a stark warning: the fentanyl epidemic isn’t just a statistic; it’s destroying families and claiming the lives of the most vulnerable, even the innocent. The Yakama Nation, like so many communities, is reeling from the consequences of this deadly drug, and this sentence, while providing some measure of justice, offers little solace for the loss of a young life.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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