DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – The mother of a 1-year-old boy who faces charges after her son died from drug poisoning is also facing major repercussions at her job.
Shaneka Dean, 30, has worked as a Language Arts teacher at Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes since February, according to Broward County Public Schools.
BCPS released the following statement Wednesday in regard to her arrest:
“The District is aware of the arrest and will take appropriate actions. The employee will not be working with students.”
Dean and Wendy Previl, 30, were arrested Monday and were held on bonds totaling more than $100,000.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, authorities were called to the 200 block of Southwest Third Street on Sept. 24 and found Zaire Cenatus in “medical distress.”
The young boy was pronounced dead at a hospital.
BSO spokesperson Carey Codd said after a “lengthy investigation” by detectives, authorities determined Previl and Dean “failed to provide the care, supervision and services necessary” for Zaire.
“As a result of this culpable negligence, the child died from a lethal intoxication of drugs, including fentanyl,” Codd said.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has described fentanyl as “the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered.”
Both Dean and Previl are facing charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and possession of fentanyl, Broward jail records showed.
Previl appeared before a judge Tuesday where records showed his prior arrests include two felony counts of battery on an officer and a 2014 conviction for possession of heroin and fentanyl.
“I’m going to increase your bond just a little bit because of the information the state has just given to me,” a judge told Previl.
Previl was seen on the phone by Local 10 News cameras and had nothing to say after bonding out of the Broward County Jail on Wednesday.
Records show that Dean was also bonded out.