4-year-old dead of heroin overdose, mother charged

By Pat Pratt

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    ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Missouri (KMOV) — St. Louis County prosecutors on Sunday charged a Jennings woman in the heroin overdose death of her 4-year-old daughter.

Christine Huntspon, 32, is charged with first-degree child endangerment resulting in death. She is currently in custody in the St. Louis County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond.

The child, identified as Sanaa Riggins, was found unresponsive around 6:24 p.m. Saturday at the family’s residence in the 9100 block of Cozens Avenue. She was pronounced deceased at 7:29 p.m. at Children’s Hospital, according to St. Louis County Police.

Police said several capsules of heroin were found at the home. Following her arrest, Huntspon allegedly admitted to having used heroin that morning and that her addiction likely resulted in the child’s death.

Huntspon admitted to having a severe addiction to drugs and the child was born under the influence of drugs, police said. She allegedly told officers she did not know of any other person who would have brought drugs into the home.

The child’s father, who showed no signs of drug use, also lived in the residence and had legal custody of the child largely due to the mother’s addiction, police said.

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