Kansas man convicted of manslaughter in fentanyl-related death of 3-year-old
By Nick Sloan
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LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (KMBC) — A Leavenworth man has been convicted in connection with the fentanyl-related death of a 3-year-old boy.
It’s the final conviction in a case the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office called a preventable tragedy.
Kenneth Hedgecock, 35, pleaded no contest Monday in Leavenworth County District Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of aggravated endangering a child.
A judge found him guilty on both counts.
Hedgecock was charged alongside Tara A. Huerta, 40, and Briana Davis, 30, in the March 26, 2025, death of Davis’ 3-year-old child.
Court records say the child was in the care of Hedgecock and Huerta at the time.
911 call leads officers to unresponsive 3-year-old
Huerta told police that Davis had left the child in their care the day before. The child had been sleeping on a couch inside the apartment.
Huerta and Hedgecock admitted to using drugs while the child was inside the home, according to court documents.
Hedgecock told police that around midnight, they noticed the child’s breathing seemed unusual but believed he was having a bad dream.
He said he checked again around 4:20 a.m. and realized the child was no longer breathing.
Drug residue found throughout apartment
Evidence collected from the apartment and tested by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation crime lab showed drug residue throughout the living area.
Swabs from the couch tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
A small baggie found under the couch tested positive for methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Another item recovered from the couch area also tested positive for methamphetamine.
An autopsy determined the child died from acute fentanyl toxicity.
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson called the child’s death a preventable tragedy.
“Three people have now been convicted for the loss of this child – a preventable tragedy,” Thompson said. “This case is a heartbreaking reminder that fentanyl is not just a danger to those who use it – it endangers everyone around it, especially children. When adults choose to keep such a deadly substance in a home where a child is present, they will be held responsible.”
Sentencing dates set for all three defendants
Hedgecock is scheduled to be sentenced at 11 a.m. April 1.
Davis is set for sentencing at 11 a.m. March 11 on charges of abandonment of a child, aggravated battery and endangering a child.
Huerta is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. March 27 on her convictions of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated endangering a child.
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