2 arrested following student fentanyl overdose at L.A. Ainger Middle School

Two arrests have been made following a fentanyl overdose at L.A. Ainger middle school in Charlotte County.

Deputies responded to the school on Wednesday, where the child overdosed on fentanyl. CPR and Narcan were administered before the student was taken to the hospital.

The investigation revealed that the child consumed fentanyl from an essential oil bottle labeled "FENT" taken from their home.

The child was reportedly to have lived with the two arrested: Joshua Sanders and Courtney Delaney.

Sanders lived with Delaney and her three children since April 2025. Delaney admitted to finding narcotics in the home multiple times and disposing of them without confronting Sanders.

Later, while speaking to authorites, Sanders admitted to leaving the bottle in the bathroom and acknowledged labeling it.

The child disclosed that they had seen Sanders use narcotics and took the bottle to school out of curiosity, leading to the overdose.

Students had informed school staff that the child told them that they snorted a white powder off the toilet paper holder in the bathroom stall and had walked out of the bathroom with a white powder on their nose. 

Sanders was charged with one count of child neglect causing great bodily harm and two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm for the other children in the residence.

Authorities arrested Sanders and Delaney on Tuesday. The Department of Children and Families took custody of the three children.

Field tests confirmed the presence of fentanyl in the essential oils bottle and on a toilet paper holder.