Forty-year-old Jennifer Lee Jones of Cartersville was arrested on November 2, 2022, and charged with two counts of murder, trafficking illegal drugs, and second-degree child cruelty/causing excessive pain. According to the warrant, Jones’s thirteen-year-old son overdosed on fentanyl. The drug was reportedly found in her home. Her attorney, Becky Grahm, said Jones had been in an extended period of mourning. She lost an 18-year-old son in a car accident in 2018 and her 13-year-old son on March 16th, due to a drug overdose. Graham said Jones needed to receive counseling and mental health treatment.
She asked for a reasonable bond.
Assistant District Attorney Austin Waldo said 28 grams of fentanyl was found in Jones’s home.
The drug was laced with an animal tranquilizer, often present in fentanyl overdoses. Waldo said Jones exhibited a pattern of dishonesty. She told investigators that she did not know the substance that killed her son. Waldo said they later found a deleted photo on her phone of the fentanyl in her hand.
He said, even more concerning, the source of the drug. It’s believed the drugs originated from someone within the department of corrections. The drugs may have come from a brokered deal, possibly cartel-related.
Waldo Read a letter from the 13-year-old’s father. He said she was unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement and to take responsibility for her actions. He said, “I am seeking justice for my son. He had a bright future that ended way too soon. Please deny bond, she needs time to reflect.”
Judge Rosemary Green denied bond. Jones had not been in custody for 90 days. Furthermore, Judge Green expressed concern Risk of witness intimidation and the possibility that Jones may harm herself.