Oak Harbor woman accused in death of toddler who was allegedly exposed to fentanyl, cocaine

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 28, 2026

An Oak Harbor woman is being held in Island County Jail on $300,000 bail after prosecutors alleged she caused the death of her 2-year-old child on May 24.

Preliminary testing on the toddler indicated exposure to suspected fentanyl and cocaine, according to court documents, although the official cause and manner of death have not yet been determined.

Jessica L. Kido, 34, appeared in Island County Superior Court Thursday afternoon. Judge Carolyn Cliff found probable cause exists to believe Kido may have committed the crimes of first-degree manslaughter, two counts of reckless endangerment and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Laura Twitchell also asked the judge to find probable cause for controlled substance homicide, but Cliff declined, saying the court did not yet have enough information about how the substances were allegedly delivered to the child.

According to a report by Oak Harbor Police Detective Shantel Ricci, Kido called 911 shortly before 9 p.m. to report that the toddler had blood coming from his mouth and nose and was having trouble speaking and crying. Paramedics transported the child to WhidbeyHealth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Kido told police she had put the child down for a nap several hours earlier and discovered blood on him when she checked on him later, the report states. She also reportedly told officers the child had behavioral issues that caused him to hit his head during tantrums.

A 4-year-old child who was also in the apartment was unharmed and later taken into protective custody by the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Kido told police her husband was deployed with the Navy and that she had been alone with the children that day.

According to the report, Kido limited officers’ access to the apartment, allowing them only into the boy’s bedroom.

An autopsy showed no outward signs of trauma, according to the report. A preliminary urinalysis test later returned positive results for cocaine and fentanyl, the report states.

Detectives arrested Kido at her home May 27. According to the report, she admitted to smoking fentanyl each morning in her SUV.

Police later served a search warrant at the residence. Investigators found a small box containing suspected fentanyl, more than $6,000 in cash, a digital scale and a notebook appearing to document drug sales, the detective wrote. Officers also located a safe containing approximately 30 firearms in the garage.

The detective’s report does not identify a specific mechanism by which the child may have been exposed to fentanyl or cocaine.

Investigators found bins of children’s clothing near suspected fentanyl, according to the report. A garbage bag outside the children’s room allegedly contained foil with burnt residue. In the master bedroom, officers found needles, a pipe and other drug paraphernalia with burnt residue inside a zippered bag stored in a container on the floor, the report states.

According to the report, Kido has a “significant criminal history” in multiple states, including drug-related offenses.

“Records indicate Kido has had repeated interactions with law enforcement over a period of time involving substance abuse, suspicious circumstances, and missing person investigations,” the detective wrote.

The report describes a “consistent pattern” across 26 documented law enforcement contacts involving Kido disappearing for days or weeks at a time after leaving home for routine errands. Police reports state she would later contact her husband and eventually be located by officers in other areas.

In April 2025, Kido’s husband reportedly told police she was a recovering addict who had checked herself into rehabilitation treatment before again disappearing for several weeks.