LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- A Carencro man has been found guilty of murder by a Lafayette Parish jury in connection with the death of a child of a fentanyl overdose, authorities said.

Daniel James Boudreaux Jr., 51, was convicted of second degree murder, second degree cruelty to a juvenile and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in connection with the death of a 7-year-old girl identified in court records as M.P. 

Emergency services were called in January 2023 to the 400 block of Rue des Etoiles in Carencro, where M.P. was found unresponsive.

The autopsy reported the child’s cause of death as acute fentanyl toxicity, after 17.2 nanograms (billionths of a gram) per milliliter were found in her blood. Experts testified that 3 nanograms per milliliter is enough to kill an adult man. 

Boudreaux was initially charged with negligent homicide in the child’s death, before a grand jury upgraded the charges in October 2023.

"I consider it a great honor to present M.P.’s case to the jury, and we all remain sincerely grateful for the opportunity to serve our State and its citizens." said Assistant District Attorney Chase Edwards.

District Attorney Don Landry praised his prosecutors and their team.

"It takes a team to prosecute this kind of murder," Landry said. "This case is only the fourth known murder conviction statewide for a young person dying from exposure to fentanyl. I am proud to say that our office now has two of those convictions. The District Attorney’s Office will work relentlessly alongside our Acadiana Law Enforcement partners to bring those who peddle this deadly drug to justice."

Boudreaux faces a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the murder conviction, up to 40 years for cruelty to a juvenile and 5 to 40 years for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8 before District Judge Valerie Gotch-Garrett.  

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