Jody Jackson
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CANDID ID: AZ_24_1542
AGE
1   year
STATE
Arizona
DATE OF DEATH
1/29/2024
DEATH RECORDS (M.E.R.)
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On January 29, 2024, approximately 18-month-old Jody Jackson was found unresponsive by his mother, Natalie Tate, at their residence at UMOM, a homeless shelter in Phoenix, Arizona. Tate had used fentanyl the night before and left pills on a table within the child's reach. After falling asleep, she woke to find her pill container opened and blue residue on the floor. Despite reportedly being aware the child may have ingested fentanyl, Tate delayed seeking medical care. The next morning, she found the child unresponsive, and emergency services pronounced Jody deceased at the scene. Post-mortem toxicology confirmed acute fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death. A sibling found in the apartment was unharmed and was subsequently removed and placed in foster care. Tate was arrested and ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and child abuse charges, receiving a 12.5-year prison sentence. The family had prior DCS involvement, including a 2022 substantiated neglect case related to the child being born substance-exposed, in which the family was referred for services but did not engage.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Multiple documents explicitly describe the child ingesting fentanyl. The fatality summary report (Document 1) states: "Jody's post mortem toxicology results returned positive for fentanyl." The medical examiner report (Document 4) lists cause of death as "Acute drug (fentanyl) intoxication" and notes "the decedent's brother told law enforcement that he was seen ingesting a blue pill." The Maricopa County Attorney announcement (Document 8) states Tate "leaving pills on the table within the child's reach" and that the child ingested fentanyl. The police advisory (Document 7) states Tate "believed Jackson might have gained access to the container with drugs and ingested a pill."

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

The Maricopa County Attorney announcement (Document 8) states that Tate used fentanyl the night prior, "leaving pills on the table within the child's reach." She then "fell asleep and woke up to her pill container opened and blue residue on the floor." The police advisory (Document 7) states Tate "admitting to using drugs the night before and believed Jackson might have gained access to the container with drugs and ingested a pill." The mother left lethal drugs accessible to her toddler while she was incapacitated by drug use, constituting inappropriate supervision.

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The DCS statement (Document 2) explicitly states: "It was reported that the mother was aware the child had ingested fentanyl and delayed seeking medical care for the child." This constitutes medical neglect — the mother knew the child had ingested a lethal substance and did not seek timely medical intervention.

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

The DCS statement (Document 2) describes the June 8, 2022 report: "The report alleged that Ms. Tate used Percocet regularly during her pregnancy and had used other substances prior to learning of her pregnancy, resulting in the child being born substance exposed." This is an explicit reference to prenatal substance exposure for Jody Jackson.

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

The biological mother, Natalie Tate, is identified as the perpetrator across all documents. The fatality summary report (Document 1) identifies her as the child's mother who found the child unresponsive. Document 3 names her as the "Alleged perpetrator." Document 8 confirms she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and child abuse charges and was sentenced to 12.5 years. She used fentanyl and left it accessible to the child.

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Multiple prior CPS reports are documented. The fatality summary report (Document 1) describes an August 29, 2020 report alleging neglect (unsubstantiated) and a June 8, 2022 report alleging neglect to Jody (substantiated). The DCS statement (Document 2) and preliminary report (Document 3) additionally list a March 1, 2010 report alleging physical abuse to a child by Natalie Tate (unsubstantiated). The June 2022 report was substantiated and the case was closed on May 17, 2023, after the family did not engage in referred services.

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

Natalie Tate was arrested and charged in connection with the child's death. The police advisory (Document 7) states: "Tate was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on one count of Negligent Homicide and two counts of Child Abuse." The fatality summary report (Document 1) confirms: "On February 6, 2024, the mother, Natalie Tate, was indicted on child abuse charges." The Maricopa County Attorney announcement (Document 8) states she pleaded guilty to "One count of Manslaughter, a Class Two Felony," "One count of Child Abuse, a Class Three Felony," and "One count of Attempt to Commit Child Abuse, a Class Three Felony" and was "sentenced to 12.5 years."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

The 12News article (Document 5) reports the incident occurred at the "UMOM campus near 32nd and Van Buren streets." UMOM's own statement in that article describes itself as a "low-barrier shelter" and that "UMOM is focused first on providing emergency shelter to women and families in need." This establishes that the family was residing in a homeless shelter at the time of the child's death.

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Substance use by the mother/caregiver is referenced extensively. The Maricopa County Attorney statement (Document 8) describes Tate as a "fentanyl-addicted mother" who "had used fentanyl the night prior." The DCS statement (Document 2) notes that in the 2020 report, "Ms. Tate was seen nodding off and unable to provide necessary care to her child" and that in the 2022 report, "Ms. Tate used Percocet regularly during her pregnancy and had used other substances prior to learning of her pregnancy." The medical examiner report (Document 4) states "the decedent's mother has a history of substance abuse" and "Drug paraphernalia was found on scene." The police advisory (Document 7) notes Tate "admitting to using drugs the night before."

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the documents. First, the Maricopa County Attorney announcement (Document 8) reveals Natalie Tate ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of child abuse and was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison. Second, there is a significant gender discrepancy across official documents: the DCS fatality reports (Documents 1, 3) consistently identify Jody as a "1-year-old female," while the medical examiner report (Document 4) identifies Jody as "Male," the police advisory (Document 7) says "1-year-old male," and all news articles refer to the child as Tate's "son." Third, the DCS statement (Document 2) reveals that a prior 2022 substantiated case found the child was "born substance exposed" due to maternal Percocet use during pregnancy, the family was referred for services but "did not engage in the services," and the case was nonetheless closed on May 17, 2023 — approximately eight months before Jody's death. Fourth, the Maricopa County Attorney statement (Document 8) provides important details about the scene: after using fentanyl, Tate "fell asleep and woke up to her pill container opened and blue residue on the floor" but still did not seek medical care until the next morning when the child was found unresponsive.