Investigators say the child’s mother was barred from unsupervised visits while the girl was legally placed with her grandmother.
ORIENT, Ohio — A court order restricting a mother’s access to her 17-month-old daughter has become a central part of an Ohio investigation after the toddler died with a fatal amount of fentanyl in her system and both her mother and grandmother were charged.
Pickaway County investigators say the girl had been placed in the custody of her grandmother, 52-year-old Tammy M. Stroud, while the child’s mother, 30-year-old Brittany M. Stroud, was prohibited from having unsupervised visits. Authorities are now examining the circumstances that put the child in the Orient home where she was found unresponsive Oct. 13. Brittany Stroud faces an outstanding arrest warrant, while Tammy Stroud has surrendered and pleaded not guilty.
Deputies began investigating after they and Scioto Township emergency crews were called to an Orient residence at about 11:14 a.m. Oct. 13 for a report that a young child was not breathing. Medics started CPR and transported the girl to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The sheriff’s office said the child was pronounced dead shortly before noon.
An autopsy the next day found a fatal amount of fentanyl in the toddler’s system, according to investigators. The finding shifted the case into a criminal investigation that included search warrants at the residence and other locations. Authorities have not publicly established how the fentanyl reached the child or announced a final reconstruction of what occurred before emergency crews arrived.
As detectives worked with Franklin County Children Services and the National Youth Advocate Program, they learned that a court order had placed the girl with Tammy Stroud and restricted Brittany Stroud from unsupervised contact, the sheriff’s office said. WSYX reported that court records tied those restrictions to Brittany Stroud’s fentanyl addiction. The station also reported that child welfare officials had been attempting to remove the toddler from the home because it appeared Brittany Stroud had been living there.
Those circumstances have become significant to the criminal cases filed against both women. Brittany Stroud was charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and possession of a controlled substance. Tammy Stroud faces complicity allegations connected to involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and possession of a controlled substance. Criminal charges do not establish guilt.
Investigators said family members reported that Tammy Stroud was at work when the child was found unresponsive. Charging documents cited by WSYX also describe calls to emergency dispatchers before responders arrived. Authorities have not publicly said that any single statement from those calls establishes how the child was exposed to fentanyl, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Franklin County Children Services told WSYX that it now has custody of Brittany Stroud’s other children. The agency’s involvement before the toddler’s death adds another layer to the investigation because authorities were already aware of restrictions surrounding the mother’s contact with the child. Details of the broader juvenile court proceedings have not been fully released publicly.
Tammy Stroud turned herself in Oct. 18 and appeared in Circleville Municipal Court the next day. She pleaded not guilty and was held on a $250,000 bond. Pickaway County jail records confirmed her detention. Brittany Stroud had not been booked into the county jail and remained wanted as authorities continued searching for her.
The sheriff’s office has said Brittany Stroud is known to frequent the Columbus and Franklin County area. Detectives also have worked with the Columbus Division of Police while executing additional search warrants and gathering evidence. Authorities have not announced whether further charges are under consideration.
The case remains unresolved, with investigators still seeking Brittany Stroud and examining both the fentanyl exposure and the circumstances under which the toddler was staying at the Orient residence despite the existing custody restrictions.
Author note: Last updated October 20, 2026.