Lancaster mother, grandfather charged in fentanyl related death of toddler

LANCASTER, Calif. - The mother of a 17-month-old boy who died due to fentanyl ingestion during what was supposed to be a monitored visit at a Lancaster home was behind bars Wednesday in connection with murder and other charges.

Jessica Dominique Darthard, 39, was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of $2.08 million bail while awaiting arraignment Nov. 25 in a Lancaster courtroom in connection with the Feb. 18 death of her toddler, Justin Bulley.

The county Medical Examiner's Office concluded that the boy died due to the "effects of fentanyl."

Darthard and her father, 72-year-old Jessie Milton Darthard, were charged in late September with murder. Jessica Darthard was also charged with four counts of child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death.

Also charged is Secret Rodcliff Daniel, a 30-year-old friend of Darthard, who is facing four counts of child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death.

Daniel was serving as a monitor approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services who was responsible for overseeing Darthard's visits with her children, including Justin Bulley.

Darthard was arrested Tuesday.

Father speaks out

Justin's father, Montise Bulley, held a news conference in June with attorney Brian Claypool to announce a $65 million damages claim against the DCFS, saying it should have known the child was unsafe in the Lancaster home.

Claypool said the child died while his mother and her father were in the midst of a binge, and that a history of drug and other suspect activity was well-documented in the home and should have triggered the removal of Justin and his siblings from the home.

"On the day of Justin's death, mom and her father were doing drugs, alcohol and a DCFS visitation supervisor is there," Claypool alleged. "This person is supposed to protect children, and she is at a home while the mother of these young kids and her father are engaging in drug activity."

DCFS previously declined to comment on the case, citing the pending litigation.

Dad blames DCFS for 17-month-old's fentanyl death

Justin Bulley, a 17-month-old boy, died Feb. 18 of fentanyl poisoning, while a Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services agent was with the boy's mother. Now, Bulley's dad is suing the department.

A motion filed by Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami alleges that Justin was among three children removed from Jessica Darthard's custody in May 2023 after they witnessed her boyfriend's death from a fentanyl overdose, but that she was allowed monitored visits with the children through DCFS on the weekends.

Authorities went to the home Feb. 18 in connection with a call about an unresponsive toddler, and the boy was rushed to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the motion. The previous day, Jessica Dartland and Daniel had collected the children at a designated pickup location, the motion states.

Evidence revealed that the boy's maternal grandfather had "purchased fentanyl that morning, smoked it out of a glass pipe in the living room while Justin was lying next to him, fell asleep, and then woke up at 6 p.m. with Justin B. lying on the couch next to him, unresponsive," according to the motion, which also noted that sheriff's deputies reported that the boy's mother had "slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and smelled of alcohol."

Jessica Darthard is on probation for two misdemeanor DUI convictions, according to the motion.

Two of Jessica Darthard's other children and three of Daniel's children also subsequently tested positive for fentanyl exposure, according to the motion.