Minnesota Mother Gets 4 Years in Child Fentanyl Death

St. Paul, MN (MinnesotaNow) - A Minnesota woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for the death of her 1-year-old son on Christmas Day 2024.

Thirty-three-year-old Jasmine Nicole Ryan pleaded guilty last November to a second-degree manslaughter charge in the case. She was charged in January 2025 after a St. Paul police investigation determined the child died from a drug overdose.

READ MORE: Minnesota Mom Pleads Guilty in Infant’s Fentanyl Overdose Death

Timeline of the Christmas Day Emergency

The criminal complaint against Ryan says St. Paul police responded to a residence in the early morning hours of December 25, 2024, on a report that a 1-year-old child was not breathing and had been exposed to fentanyl. When they arrived, officers found the child’s father, 39-year-old Jeffrey Joseph Weidell, in a room described as a mess, with clothing, diapers, trash, and tinfoil strewn throughout.

READ MORE: Minnesota Man & Woman Arrested for Toddler’s Christmas Day Drug Overdose Death

Found Performing CPR on Child

The court document says officers found Ryan in the kitchen performing CPR on the 1-year-old, who was unconscious and not breathing. When asked if the child had ingested or choked on anything, the criminal complaint says Ryan replied, “Fentanyl.” She also stated that she had administered Narcan to her son before police arrived.

Admitted Smoking Fentanyl

When questioned by investigators, the criminal complaint says Ryan admitted smoking fentanyl on Christmas Eve. Officers noted that she did not seem overly concerned about her son while sitting in the back of a squad car and stated that she “seemed out of it and under the influence of something.”

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The court document says a search of the home led to the discovery of small quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Burned pieces of tinfoil found on the living room couch and in other areas of the home also tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Other Children Placed Into Protection

Court documents indicate two other children in the home were placed into child protection, including a 1-month-old who tested positive for fentanyl at birth.

Father's Manslaughter Case Still Pending

Weidell was also charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with his son's death. His case remains pending.