Prosecutors waited two months to charge these parents with murder, and the one piece of evidence that changed it all was found on the bed

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office has charged the parents of a 2-year-old girl who died from a fentanyl overdose with second-degree murder. As detailed by ABC News, the charges against Michelle Price, 38, and her boyfriend Steve Ramirez, 43, mark a significant escalation from their initial felony child endangerment and drug-related charges. The murder charges come two months after the child’s death, following a toxicology report that the DA’s office says changed the trajectory of the case.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced the amended complaint on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, stating that the couple acted with a “conscious disregard for human life.” The following day, both Price and Ramirez failed to appear in court for a hearing on the new charges, prompting a judge to issue bench warrants for their arrest.

The incident unfolded on the morning of February 12, 2026, when San Francisco police responded to a 911 call reporting a child not breathing at a residence on the 3800 block of 18th Street. Medics arrived and pronounced the 2-year-old girl deceased. Medics observed signs of rigor mortis and lividity, indicating the child had been dead for several hours before their arrival.

The toxicology report sealed the case against both parents

Initially, Price and Ramirez faced felony child endangerment, possession of fentanyl, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ramirez faced additional counts, including resisting, obstructing, and delaying a peace officer. Court records show that when officers first arrived, Ramirez allegedly attempted to flee on a bicycle, resisted arrest, and injured an officer during the pursuit. Officers found two glass pipes with burnt residue near him and a third in a bag attached to his bike.

Price, the child’s mother, allegedly exhibited droopy eyes, slurred speech, and an emotionless demeanor at the scene, leading to her detention on suspicion of child endangerment. Prosecutors also noted that high levels of fentanyl and methamphetamine were detected in the blood of both Price and Ramirez at the time of their arrest.

The DA’s office had been waiting on the medical examiner’s toxicology report before pursuing more serious charges. That analysis ultimately revealed lethal levels of fentanyl in the toddler’s bloodstream, along with naloxone, the active ingredient in Narcan. Jenkins described the toxicology report as “the most significant piece of evidence” her office needed before filing the murder charges.

Jenkins explained that the presence of Narcan at the scene, along with naloxone in the child’s system, strongly suggested the parents were aware of fentanyl’s dangers. During a press briefing, she noted that “there were drug paraphernalia loosely around this apartment, as well as different amounts of fentanyl loosely sitting out in the open.” Court documents further detailed that officers found three used cylindrical pipes, lighters, and torches in the apartment, and on the bed, a used Narcan container, white powder later identified as fentanyl, bottles of spoiled milk, and stained sheets.

The murder charge is grounded in a theory of “conscious disregard for human life,” meaning prosecutors are not alleging an intentional killing but rather that the parents were aware of fentanyl’s lethality and still allowed it to remain accessible to the child. Jenkins stated, “It was clear to me that these parents were aware of its lethality and the danger of fentanyl.” The case marks the first homicide charge the San Francisco DA’s office has filed in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose, amid a broader pattern of child deaths linked to caregiver neglect that prosecutors across the country have been pursuing more aggressively.

Jenkins also addressed parents directly: “I want to be clear to parents who may be struggling with substance abuse disorder, first and foremost, we must protect the children in San Francisco, and this is a job that I take extremely seriously.”

The legal proceedings for Price and Ramirez had seen complications before the murder charges were even filed. Price was released prior to her arraignment on February 19, 2026, by a magistrate and was allowed to remain out of custody over the prosecution’s objection. Ramirez was also released over prosecutors’ objections on February 24, 2026, after the court initially set no bail at the first calling of the case on February 18, 2026. His arraignment was continued after the Public Defender’s Office declared itself unavailable and was subsequently held in contempt of court for failing to accept appointment of the case.

Price is currently represented by a public defender, and the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has declined to comment. The SF District Attorney’s office confirmed that bench warrants have been issued for both Price and Ramirez following their failure to appear on April 16, 2026. Ramirez’s situation draws a parallel to cases like the Chicago man re-arrested after prior release, where court decisions to release defendants over prosecutorial objection have faced scrutiny. Authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, beginning the message with SFPD.