Mother receives death sentence for son’s overdose | News, Sports, Jobs

Staff photo / Chris McBride: Attorney Kristin Maxwell (left) with her client Aris Rice, 32, of Warren, as she was sentenced to 12 months in prison Tuesday in Trumbull County Court in connection with the overdose death of her 1-year-old son in October.

WARREN – A city mother must spend a year behind bars after her child died from ingesting a liquid medication.

On Tuesday, Aris Rice was sentenced by Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Andrew D. Logan for manslaughter and endangering a child.

Before the judge announced the verdict, he told Rice: “Nothing I can do here today will hurt you more than thinking back to your child, and you will do that for the rest of your life,” he said. “This will be the worst punishment you can receive: knowing for the rest of your life that you have let your child down.”

The case against Rice stems from a September 24 investigation after her one-year-old son was found unconscious and not breathing in her home by an emergency crew.

The child died on October 1. Laboratory results revealed the presence of methadone in his body.

Rice cried at the podium as her lawyer recounted her past struggle with drug addiction and her upward trajectory until she was charged in the death of her son.

“She has always taken responsibility. She knows this happened under her watch.” said attorney Kristin Maxwell. “She will regret it for the rest of her life.”

Maxwell referred to the inquest report, which she said proved that the death was an accident. Maxwell was represented by attorney Alexander Keane.

Prosecutor Diane Barber said that while there was no intention on the part of the mother to harm the child, the child’s death was clearly due to negligence.

Regarding the autopsy report, she said the medical examiner’s office had made a medical-legal decision based on limited options.

Barber also said Rice was part of a carry-out program from Meridian Health Care for her methadone prescription in single-dose bottles. Each dose was sealed with foil, Barber said. The assistant district attorney said the doses had to be kept in a locked container with a passcode chosen by Rice. Otherwise, Barber said, the child would not have had access to them.

“This is so important to Meridian that they have their customers sign a written contract declaring that they will keep these liquid cans in a sealed container. That somehow didn’t happen in this case, which had tragic consequences,” Said Barber.