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Phoenix Parents Arrested For Child Abuse After Two Children Test Positive For Fentanyl

A man and woman have been arrested after police say two young kids tested positive for fentanyl, with their toddler rushed to the hospital.

Last week, around 4:30 p.m., Phoenix police officers were called to a Phoenix hospital after a toddler was admitted with life-threatening conditions. The child tested positive for fentanyl. During the investigation, 32-year-old Michael Leon Moore Jr. initially told police that his wife, 23-year-old Slawannie Louisa Parteh, and children were visiting Arizona from California. Moore reported that they went to an apartment near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road to celebrate with family and when they returned to their hotel they noticed the toddler was unresponsive. The toddler was then taken to the hospital.

Police met with Parteh outside of the Phoenix apartment. Court documents say Parteh reported to police that her 7-year-old daughter was inside with a friend. Officers went inside and found the girl sleeping alone in the apartment. Upon their investigation, police discovered small plastic bags throughout the apartment, two fentanyl pills laying in the bed, and pieces of aluminum foil in the bathroom. According to court paperwork, police officers also discovered 160 pills in a purse inside the apartment. The girl was taken to the hospital, and test results showed she too tested positive for fentanyl. When officers met with Moore, he was sitting in his car and officers found a fentanyl pill on his seat. He took responsibility for all the drugs in the apartment. Both Moore and Parteh were arrested.


During the police interview with Moore, he reportedly told officers that he has been using fentanyl pills for the past two years. Moore detailed that around midnight, Moore was alone with the toddler when he turned and saw the boy put something in his mouth. He saw his son’s body go limp, and his eyes rolled back. Moore then reportedly searched the Internet for ways to treat his son before taking him to the hospital. Moore told officers that the pills were for personal use and denied selling them, despite the discovery of the large amount in a purse in their apartment. However, Parteh told police Moore sells the drugs.

In addition, Moore’s original story did not match. Parteh and Moore lived together for the past year in Phoenix, and Parteh was not visiting from California. Parteh told police that she knew Moore had the pills and had asked him to put them away. She was not home at the time when the toddler ingested the drug and she denied putting the 160 pills in her purse.

Moore has been booked on two counts of reckless child abuse and one count of narcotic drug possession. Parteh faces two counts of child abuse.