In a distressing case that highlights the ongoing opioid crisis, a newborn child in Spartanburg County tested positive for fentanyl, leading to the arrest of the parents last week. The investigation, spearheaded by the Special Victims Unit (SVU) of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, commenced in January following a referral from the Department of Social Services.
The newborn, whose umbilical cord blood revealed the presence of fentanyl—a potent opioid—was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) immediately after birth. The detection window of the substance in umbilical cord blood spans up to the last 20 weeks of a full-term pregnancy. The child was released to the care of his paternal grandmother on January 18, 2024.
During the course of the investigation, the mother, identified as 29-year-old Bethany Christina Estepp, admitted to using “roxy,” a street name for Roxicodone, after discovering her pregnancy, until she transitioned to methadone treatment. Estepp claimed the pills may have been laced with fentanyl, an opioid she insists she does not use.
The father, Marcus Wayne Anaya Ashby, also 29, is already under home detention following a conviction for Trafficking Methamphetamine. Both Estepp and Ashby were arrested last week at a new construction site in Chesnee by deputies from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, following the issuance of a warrant for Estepp for Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child.
A substance was recovered from Ashby at the time of arrest, which could potentially lead to additional charges pending analysis. He also declined to take a drug test. Both suspects are currently incarcerated.
This case has brought to light the severe implications of drug use during pregnancy. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate.
Author: Tracy Sanders
