48-Year-Old Fort Lee Woman Charged In Connection With Saturday’s Fatal Drug Overdose Of A 12-Year-Old Girl

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 7:30 A.M. ET. By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

FORT LEE, NJ.- A 48-year-old Fort Lee, New Jersey woman was taken into custody and charged with multiple child endangerment offenses and narcotics offenses in connection with Saturday afternoon’s fatal drug overdose of a 12-year-old girl inside her Maple Street home.

     According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at just around 3:30 p.m., members of the Fort Lee Police Department and Emergency Medical Services Personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive 12-year-old girl at a Maple Street home in Fort Lee.

     Upon arrival, Police Officers found the girl unresponsive from an apparent drug overdose. The girl was immediately transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where despite life-saving efforts the girl was pronounced deceased a short time later.

     During the initial investigation, Police Officers found evidence of narcotics activity inside the residence. Following their discovery, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted.

     Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Narcotics Task Force, and the Special Victims Unit launched a joint investigation with the Fort Lee Police Department into the child’s death and the related narcotics activity.

     During the investigation, Detectives quickly determined that Frances Caso and three other juveniles were present in the home at around the time of the girl’s suspected overdose. A court-authorized search warrant was executed on the Maple Street residence and Detectives located multiple controlled dangerous substances and paraphernalia consistent with drug use.

     Accordingly, following the investigation, Frances Caso, 48, of Fort Lee, New Jersey was taken into custody and formally charged with one count of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; three counts of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; two counts of third-degree Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance; and fourth-degree Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

     Ms. Caso was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending future court proceedings in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, New Jersey.

     The investigation into the type of illicit narcotic that caused the death of the child is pending toxicology results from the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

“The rules of the court requires us to include a statement, that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”