In a troubling series of incidents that have shocked communities across the Midwest, two separate cases involving the fatal exposure of toddlers to fentanyl have come to light, underscoring the deadly reach of the synthetic opioid crisis. Both Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Leavenworth, Kansas, are now grappling with the aftermath as authorities pursue charges and families mourn the loss of their youngest members.
According to WISN and FOX6 Milwaukee, the Milwaukee tragedy unfolded on August 7, 2025, when Demetrius Hubanks, 28, was at home with his 14-month-old son while the child’s mother ran errands. Hubanks later told police that he and his son had fallen asleep together on the couch. When he awoke, he discovered the child was unresponsive and not breathing. In a panic, Hubanks called the boy’s mother and then dialed 911. Emergency crews arrived at the residence on W. Villard Avenue, just west of N. 76th Street, and immediately began life-saving efforts.
First responders administered two rounds of epinephrine, eventually regaining a faint pulse before transporting the child to Children’s Wisconsin hospital. Despite these efforts, the child remained unresponsive upon arrival. A CT scan revealed diffuse swelling of the brain, and doctors noted the toddler exhibited no response to painful stimuli and showed signs of multi-organ injury. The situation was grim, and as the days passed, hope faded. On August 9 and again on August 14, doctors performed brain examinations, both of which were consistent with brain death. The child was pronounced dead at Children’s Wisconsin on August 14, 2025.
During the subsequent investigation, Hubanks admitted to police that he had been in possession of two fake Percocet pills, which he believed contained fentanyl, that morning. In his statement, he said, “I had the pills in my shorts that morning, and when I woke up from the nap, I saw the two pills on the floor. One of the two pills appeared to be crushed and broken up.” As detailed in the criminal complaint cited by FOX6 Milwaukee, Hubanks confessed to picking up both pills before emergency personnel arrived and tossing them into the backyard. The child’s urine drug screen came back presumptively positive for fentanyl, confirming the presence of the potent opioid in his system.
The child’s mother, interviewed by investigators, stated that her son had been in good health when she left him in the care of his father. She also denied there were any drugs in the home. The sequence of events, as pieced together by court filings, points to a tragic accident with devastating consequences. Yet, the law is clear: Hubanks now faces a charge of neglecting a child resulting in death. Notably, as of publication, he is not in police custody. Online court records indicate there is a warrant for his arrest, leaving a sense of unfinished justice hanging over the case.
The Milwaukee case is not an isolated incident. Just a few states away, in Leavenworth, Kansas, a similar heartbreak unfolded earlier in the year. As reported by KCTV and Gray News, a three-year-old was discovered unresponsive in an apartment in March 2025. Paramedics rushed the child to a nearby hospital, but the toddler did not survive. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation later confirmed that methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl were all present in the apartment. On May 29, an autopsy established that the cause of death was acute fentanyl toxicity.
Months after the child’s death, law enforcement made arrests. On August 15, 2025, Leavenworth Police apprehended 40-year-old Tara Huerta. Days later, the Kansas City Police Department arrested 34-year-old Kenneth Hedgecock. The charges in this case are severe: Huerta faces counts of first-degree murder, possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. She is currently booked in Leavenworth County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Hedgecock, meanwhile, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated endangering a child, unlawful possession of controlled substances, and unlawful possession of certain drug precursors and paraphernalia. He is being held in Clay County Jail.
The details in both cases are harrowing. In Milwaukee, a father’s admission—“I am responsible”—as documented in the criminal complaint, lays bare the sense of remorse and accountability, even as the legal process remains incomplete. In Leavenworth, the presence of multiple illicit substances in the home paints a grim picture of the environment in which the toddler lived and died. Authorities have not released further details about the relationship between the suspects and the child in the Kansas case, but the charges of aggravated endangering a child and first-degree murder speak volumes about the gravity of the situation.
These tragedies are a stark reminder of the increasing frequency with which America’s opioid epidemic claims its youngest and most vulnerable victims. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, has become a leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide. What makes fentanyl so dangerous—beyond its potency—is its ability to be mixed into counterfeit pills and other drugs, often without users’ knowledge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has repeatedly warned that even a tiny amount can be fatal, especially to children.
Public health officials and law enforcement agencies have been sounding the alarm about the proliferation of fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl. These pills are often indistinguishable from legitimate medications, making them especially treacherous in homes where children might come into contact with them. In both the Milwaukee and Leavenworth cases, the accidental exposure of toddlers to fentanyl had irreversible consequences—prompting renewed calls for vigilance and accountability.
As communities process these losses, questions linger: How can such tragedies be prevented? What more can be done to keep dangerous substances out of reach of children? The legal proceedings in both Milwaukee and Leavenworth will continue to unfold in the coming months, but for the families involved, the pain is already immeasurable.
While the justice system moves forward, the hope is that these devastating cases will serve as a wake-up call—not just for those directly involved, but for society at large. The synthetic opioid crisis is not a distant threat; it is a present and growing danger, capable of reaching even the most innocent lives. The stories of these two toddlers, lost before they had a chance to grow up, are a somber testament to that reality.
