Updated October 27, 2026
Columbus police arrested Brittany Stroud, 30, on Tuesday, Oct. 27, two weeks after her 17-month-old daughter died from fentanyl exposure at a home in Orient, Pickaway County. Stroud is charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and possession of a controlled substance. Investigators say a court order barred her from unsupervised contact with the child.
Her mother, Tammy Stroud, 52, who had court-ordered custody of the toddler, is also charged. Both women are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What happened to the toddler in Orient?
Pickaway County deputies were called to Tammy Stroud’s home in Orient at about 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, after a report that a child was not breathing. The girl was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where she was declared dead.
According to court papers, an autopsy found a fatal amount of fentanyl in the child’s system. Detectives later charged both women.
Investigators have not said how the child obtained or ingested the fentanyl. Charging documents do not explain how it happened.
What do the 911 calls reveal?
Brittany Stroud called 911 to report that her daughter was not breathing. When a dispatcher asked whether she knew how to perform CPR, the caller answered, “We are past that,” and described the child as purple.
In another call, the caller said she noticed the child breathing strangely around 6 a.m. and described a snoring sound. Relatives told deputies the child’s face had been pressed into a mattress, which may have restricted her breathing.
Those statements describe what family members told investigators. They are not findings about the cause of death. The autopsy finding of fatal fentanyl levels is what the charges rest on.
Why was Brittany Stroud barred from being alone with her daughter?
Investigators say Tammy Stroud had custody of the child through a court order. Under that order, Brittany Stroud was not to have unsupervised visits or time with her daughter because of a fentanyl addiction.
Court papers also allege that the child and a younger sibling both tested positive for fentanyl at birth.
Authorities allege that Tammy Stroud left for work and that Brittany Stroud was alone with the child when the girl stopped breathing. The exact terms of the custody order have not been made public in the reporting reviewed.
What did Franklin County Children Services know?
Charging documents state that Franklin County Children Services, which had an open case involving Brittany Stroud, was trying to remove the child from the home. The agency believed Brittany Stroud had been living there.
The agency has said it now has custody of Brittany Stroud’s other children. The reporting reviewed does not say when officials first suspected she was living at the home or what step was planned before Oct. 13. Those questions are likely to come up as the case moves forward.
What charges does Brittany Stroud face?
Detectives filed charges on Friday, Oct. 16. They are:
- Involuntary manslaughter, under Ohio Revised Code 2903.04, which covers causing a death as a result of committing or attempting a felony
- Endangering children, under ORC 2919.22, which covers creating a substantial risk to a child’s health or safety or violating a duty of care or protection
- Possession of a controlled substance, under ORC 2925.11
The statutes above are the general laws governing these offenses. The specific subsections and felony levels will be confirmed once the complaint or indictment is reviewed.
An arrest and a charge are not evidence of guilt. Prosecutors must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why is Tammy Stroud also charged?
Tammy Stroud faces complicity charges tied to involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and drug possession. Complicity is governed by ORC 2923.03. Investigators allege she left Brittany Stroud unsupervised with the child despite the court order.
Family members told investigators she was at work when the child was found not breathing. She surrendered to authorities on Sunday, Oct. 18, and pleaded not guilty in court the next morning. Her bond was initially set at $250,000.
Prosecutors will have to prove the legal elements of aiding or abetting. Having custody of a child, or being related to a defendant, does not by itself establish complicity.
Did the judge dismiss the charges against Tammy Stroud?
No. Her attorney asked the court to dismiss the charges at a hearing reported Oct. 26. The attorney argued the evidence was insufficient and questioned whether the circumstances amounted to an unsupervised visit under the order.
According to that reporting, the judge found probable cause for the case to move forward and reduced her bond from $250,000 to $100,000. The case is expected to go to a grand jury.
How did authorities find Brittany Stroud?
After charges were filed, the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office searched for Stroud in the Columbus and Franklin County area. Detectives said she was known to spend time in Franklin County and had once lived on Columbus’s southwest side. Authorities had said she was last seen driving a red Jeep Compass.
Columbus police took her into custody on Oct. 27, according to the sheriff’s office. The arrest location and circumstances have not been released.
What happens next?
Both cases will proceed through Ohio’s criminal courts. Brittany Stroud’s first court appearance and bond conditions had not been confirmed at the time of publication.
Key questions that remain unanswered:
- How the toddler obtained or ingested fentanyl
- Whether anyone else will face charges
- What the grand jury decides in Tammy Stroud’s case
- How child-protection officials handled the family before Oct. 13
This is a developing story. Columbus Frontline will update it as court records and official information become available.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Brittany Stroud?
A 30-year-old woman arrested in Columbus on Oct. 27, 2026, and charged in the death of her 17-month-old daughter.
What killed the toddler?
Court papers say an autopsy found a fatal amount of fentanyl in the child’s system. How she was exposed has not been disclosed.
Why couldn’t Brittany Stroud see her daughter alone?
Investigators say a court order barred unsupervised visits because of her fentanyl addiction.
Is the grandmother charged?
Yes. Tammy Stroud faces complicity charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Where did this happen?
At a home in Orient, in Pickaway County, Ohio, about 20 miles south of Columbus.
Sources
- ABC 6 / WSYX, Hunt continues for Brittany Stroud nearly a week after charged in young daughter’s death, Oct. 20, 2026
- ABC 6 / WSYX, Mother, grandmother charged after 17-month-old girl dies of fentanyl exposure in Ohio, Oct. 2026
- ABC 6 / WSYX, reporting on the Oct. 26 hearing
- Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office statements
- Ohio Revised Code 2903.04, 2919.22, 2925.11 and 2923.03