Utah mom charged for 2-year-old son's suspected overdose

A Tooele woman has been charged with the death of her 2-year-old son, who police suspect was inadvertently fed an overdose of methadone.

Jill Goff, 32, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with second-degree felony child abuse homicide. She could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Goff called 911 Friday evening when the family discovered that the toddler,Aiden Goff, was not breathing. Emergency responders tried to save the toddler, but he died at the home at 485 Oak St., said Tooele police Capt. Paul Wimmer.

A few hours later, the boy's 8-year-old brother and 5-year-old sister turned up at the emergency room having also ingested methadone, police say. Both survived.

The 8-year-old told his aunt, and the 5-year-old told a detective, that Goff fixed a pink drink forAiden, according to a probable cause statement. He did not like the drink so Goff had the 5-year-old taste it, and she said it was "gross," the statement adds. Goff then had the 8-year-old taste it, and he said it tasted like medicine, according to the statement.

Investigators suspect the drink was Goff's colored, liquid methadone that was kept in a Gatorade bottle, Wimmer said.

"We think she may have inadvertently served it," Wimmer said Monday.

Goff told investigators that after the taste tests, she realized that she had poured the methadone and not Gatorade into the cup, according to the probable cause statement. Goff said she tried to getAiden to throw up, then went to bed and took a nap with him, the statement adds.

"When asked, she said she didn't call [emergency responders] or poison control because she was scared," according to the statement.

The mother was booked into the Tooele County jail, without bail. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance Monday before 3rd District Judge Robert Adkins.

Goff has no prior criminal history in Utah, according to a search of state records.

"Aiden laughed and smiled throughout his two and half years; bringing joy and happiness to everyone he touched," reads his obituary. "… The family would like to express their gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support extended to them at this difficult time."

The boy's funeral is scheduled for Saturday.

mmcfall@sltrib.com

Twitter: @mikeypanda