Farius D. Woodard was charged in Baton Rouge after police said an 11-month-old in his care became part of a child safety investigation. Authorities described the case as involving a serious medical emergency and later court action in Louisiana.
The investigation began after an emergency room visit, according to the warrant. Police later reviewed what happened before the child arrived for care, while Woodard’s case moved from medical concern to a felony charge in a Baton Rouge court.
What Started the Baton Rouge Investigation
The investigation began on March 18, when police said an 11-month-old was brought to an emergency room after choking or aspirating on food and losing consciousness. According to the warrant, that medical visit is what first pulled Baton Rouge investigators into the case.
Medical staff later told investigators the child’s aspiration was likely caused by cocaine exposure, the warrant says. Further testing showed cocaine and fentanyl in the infant’s system, giving police a drug exposure question to investigate, not only a choking incident.
Police said the infant was in critical condition and needed emergency treatment before being admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. That part matters because the case moved quickly from a hospital response into a criminal investigation about who was responsible.
What Police Reported Finding at Woodard’s Residence
Police later searched Woodard’s residence as they tried to determine how the infant may have been exposed. According to the warrant, the search became important because investigators were looking beyond the emergency room and into the places and choices surrounding the child’s care.
At the residence, police reported finding suspected marijuana, a Taurus 9 mm pistol with an extended magazine, 2 digital scales, another extended magazine, and items described as smoking devices. Those items did not answer the exposure question alone, but they widened the investigation.
Woodard was previously arrested on March 26 on drug and firearm charges connected to that search, according to the warrant. The cruelty charge came later, after investigators received more information and the arrest warrant was signed on July 9 in the infant exposure case.
Why Woodard’s Statements Became Important
Woodard and the child’s mother denied knowing how the infant was exposed to cocaine, the warrant said. Woodard also denied using or possessing cocaine. Those denials became important because investigators later compared them with physical evidence, medical findings, and the timeline around the March 18 emergency.
Woodard told police he took the child to Duchess Drive Park earlier that day and smoked marijuana while the child played in the sand. He said the child may have been exposed there, but investigators later found that explanation was not credible.
Police said Woodard submitted to a urine drug test on March 20, and the results, received July 8, showed direct use of cocaine, marijuana, and benzodiazepines. Investigators said that result contradicted his earlier statement that he did not use cocaine.
Endnote
Debate around this Baton Rouge case should stay focused on child safety, not only blame after the fact. Police say an infant tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl, but prosecutors still have to prove how the exposure happened and who failed to prevent it.
Next chapters should center on the July 9 cruelty warrant, the March 26 drug and firearm arrest, and the March 20 test results received July 8. Those pieces now move into court, where the warrant details must be tested carefully.