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Curtis Rouse, a Syracuse man, pleaded guilty to charges related to the fentanyl overdose death of two-year-old Mehlaya Blue. On Monday (January 6), Rouse admitted to criminally negligent homicide and attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, with formal sentencing set for February 10.
Mehlaya Blue died on April 25, 2023, after ingesting a lethal amount of fentanyl at her grandmother's home in Syracuse. Rouse, the boyfriend of Mehlaya's grandmother, was responsible for watching her at the time. He admitted to using cocaine and fentanyl in the child's presence, which allowed her access to the drugs. Despite his admission, it remains unclear how Mehlaya ingested the fentanyl.
As part of a plea deal, Rouse's sentence will run concurrently with a five-year sentence for possessing a ghost gun found in his home. The charges against Mehlaya's grandmother, Natasha Gregory, were dismissed following Rouse's guilty plea.
The case has left Mehlaya's mother, Heaven Blue, devastated and searching for answers. She described her heartbreak to Syracuse.com, saying, "I felt my heart shatter."
The tragic death of Mehlaya Blue is one of approximately 150 fentanyl-related deaths in Onondaga County in 2023.