Woman arrested on charges after 1-year-old niece overdosed

Excellent coordination between investigators from the Youth Services Division and the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force led to the arrest of Tawona Pickens-Johnson, 46, in Tallahassee, Florida, on an outstanding charge related to the March 2023 fatal fentanyl overdose of her one-year-old niece , Ivery Holmes.

Holmes was found unconscious in their Herman Street home on March 7. She was released from the hospital on March 19.
Further investigation by Youth Services detectives revealed that Holmes was exposed to fentanyl while under the care of Pickens-Johnson.

Pickens-Johnson was indicted on one count of negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated child neglect.

She will return to Nashville soon.