Woman gets more than a year in death of 8-month-old daughter

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — An Asheville woman has been convicted of charges related to the death of her infant daughter.

Samantha Lynn Higgins, 32, of Asheville, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony negligent child abuse in connection with the death of 8-month-old Dani Harmon.

Following a trial, the jury found Higgins guilty of involuntary manslaughter and not guilty of felony child abuse, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office said. The unanimous jury verdict was rendered Tuesday afternoon.

The charges stemmed from Harmon’s death as a result of fentanyl toxicity. The investigation revealed circumstances leading to the infant’s death that included finding drug paraphernalia littered throughout the dwelling where the infant lived, the district attorney’s office said.

An autopsy performed by the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as “complications of blunt forces injuries of the head” and “sustained blunt forces head trauma; exposed to fentanyl.”

“This is a heartbreaking case involving the loss of a young life and we respect the jury’s verdict,” District Attorney Todd Williams said in a news release. “We hope this outcome provides some measure of legal closure for all affected by this tragedy.”

Higgins was sentenced to 17-30 months in the custody of N.C. prisons.