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Chandler mom facing murder charges for toddler's 2020 methadone overdose

An autopsy of the 2-year-old showed that the child had died from a methadone overdose, court documents say.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — A mother in Chandler is facing murder and child abuse charges after her 2-year-old child died of a methadone overdose in 2020.

Court documents say on the morning of April 14, 2020, Chandler police and EMS responded to a home near South Pecos Road and South Arizona Avenue in response to an unresponsive 2-year-old.

The child was pronounced dead at the hospital. The child's mother, 32-year-old Shae'D Bowen, told police her child got ahold of an empty bottle of her prescription methadone from the trash the night before and said that's how the child was exposed to the drug. 

A second child living with her, age 7, was also exhibiting signs of methadone intoxication and was transported to the hospital, according to court documents. Methadone was found in that child's system.

An autopsy of the 2-year-old showed that the child had died from a methadone overdose, court documents say.

The mother told police she would never give methadone to her children and confirmed she was scheduled to take several prescribed doses at home rather than at a clinic because of COVID-19. 

She was supposed to secure the bottles in a lockbox in her room. Instead, police found a prescription bottle for methadone in an unlocked drawer decorated with Hello Kitty in the room she shared with her children. 

Bowen told police the 7-year-old was likely able to get the bottle open, documents say. 

After investigation, police determined Bowen showed reckless disreguard for the safety of her children and she was arrested. 

She's being charged with second-degree murder and child abuse.

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