45-year-old Portsmouth woman arrested after 10-year-old revives her with Narcan avoids prison time

A local Rhode Island woman has been sentenced after a child had to revive her with Narcan.

According to Portsmouth Police, on June 6th, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., members of the Portsmouth Police Department arrested then 44-year-old Lauren Nortz at her residence on Park Avenue, following an investigation into child endangerment.

The investigation began when the Portsmouth Police Department received a 911 call from a 10-year-old child reporting a medical emergency. Upon arrival, officers observed signs of a drug overdose, as well as narcotics inside the residence. The substances were discovered unsecured, creating a dangerous environment accessible to the child. Additionally, several containers of discarded Narcan were located in the home. The investigation revealed that the 10-year-old child had utilized Narcan on the woman. It was later learned that the child had learned how to utilize this life-saving medication after receiving previous guidance from a family member as well as reading the instructions on the packaging.

The Portsmouth Police Detective Division investigated the incident and during an interview, Nortz admitted to drug use and confirmed that narcotics and related paraphernalia were present in the home and accessible to the child. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families was contacted and remains involved keeping the child safe.

Nortz was charged with Child Endangerment. She was arraigned at police headquarters by a Justice of the Peace and released on $2,000 surety bail. As a condition of her release, she was prohibited from having contact with the child.

On Wednesday, Nortz pled no contest in Newport County Superior Court and was sentenced to 3 years suspended and 3 years probation. Conditions include mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, and no contact with the victim, consistent with DCYF and Family court orders.