A 13-year-old girl was found dead in her Goose Creek, South Carolina home on the morning of August 27th after her mother tried to wake her for school. EMS confirmed her death at the scene. The next day, her parents – 37-year-old Tracy Lyn Castillo and 42-year-old Derrell Dominquez Joshua – were arrested and each charged with possessing more than two grains of fentanyl and three counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk of harm.
On September 10th, officials announced the girl’s test was a presumptive positive for fentanyl. A private toxicology report is still pending, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains open. One detail drawing attention: Castillo was previously charged with four counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk in October 2024.
For families here on the Suncoast, this case is a sobering reminder that fentanyl is not a big-city problem or someone else’s problem. It reaches into ordinary homes, in ordinary neighborhoods, and it can take a child before anyone realizes it’s there. Naloxone is available free at many Florida health departments and community sites, and local prevention resources can help families start a conversation early.
What would you do if you suspected drug activity in a home where kids live – say something, or stay out of it? Let us know in the comments.
