Cranston mother, two others, arrested in fentanyl death of 2-year-old son

Three have been arrested on murder charges after a 2-year-old dies from fentanyl exposure.

According to Pawtucket Police, on the evening of December 10, 2021, the Pawtucket Police and Fire Departments responded to a Sayles Avenue address for a report of an unresponsive 2-year-old boy. The child, sadly, was later pronounced deceased at an area hospital.

Police say that the apartment was in awful condition and did not include basic furniture. Officers observed equipment commonly used in the manufacturing and distribution of narcotics inside the apartment.

A two-month long investigation was initiated by the Detective Division, the Special Squad Narcotics Division as well as DCYF, the RI Medical Examiner’s Office and the RI Attorney General’s Office. The child’s death was ruled a homicide with the cause being acute fentanyl intoxication.

At the conclusion of the investigation, with some assistance from the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, three individuals culpable were arrested.

The child’s mother, 26-year-old Jessaline Andrade, from Cranston, will be arraigned in court on Monday on charges of Murder in the 2nd degree and 2 counts of cruelty to or neglect of a child

31-year-old Stephano Castro, from Providence, was arraigned today on a charge of Murder in the 2nd degree.

33-year-old Yara Chum, from Pawtucket, was also arraigned today on a charge of Murder in the 2nd degree.

Additionally, during the same incident on the evening of December 10th, an 8-year-old boy, a sibling of the deceased child, had also tested positive for fentanyl exposure but luckily survived.