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Vernon father arrested after 6-month-old baby survives fentanyl overdose

A Vernon father has been arrested and charged after his 6-month-old baby nearly died when it was exposed to fentanyl and overdosed in January, only to be saved at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Nicholas Rodriguez, 38, turned himself into police Thursday and was charged with five offenses, including risk of injury to a child and first-degree assault for extreme indifference to life, according to Vernon police.

Police began investigating on Jan. 26 when paramedics were called to a report of a baby in “extreme respiratory distress” and transported the child to the hospital, where doctors determined it was overdosing on fentanyl, Lt.