Pierce County, WA father charged, wanted in 5-year-old's fentanyl death
Warrant issued for father wanted in death of 5-year-old son
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office is searching for 32-year-old Kyler Lawrence, wanted in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of his 5-year-old son in March 2025.
SEATTLE - Pierce County prosecutors have filed charges and issued an arrest warrant for a 32-year-old man accused in the fatal fentanyl overdose of his 5-year-old son.
The backstory:
Pierce County sheriff's deputies responded to a medical call on March 13, 2025, at a home in South Hill, where 5-year-old Brentlee Lawrence was found unresponsive.
The child's mother, Jordan Shank, found the five-year-old next to her, not breathing and with vomit on him, according to court documents. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later determined the child died from acute fentanyl toxicity.
Shank had reportedly admitted to using fentanyl the day before his death. She also admitted to using it while pregnant, court records say.
Pierce County, WA mother in court for 5-year-old son's fentanyl death
A Pierce County mother appeared in court after her arrest over the weekend in connection with the death of her five-year-old son.
Shank was arrested for manslaughter in May 2025. However, the child's father, 32-year-old Kyler Wayne Lawrence, fled the home before deputies arrived. Investigators were initially unable to establish probable cause for his arrest until DNA results were returned.
Dig deeper:
According to probable cause documents, Kyler Lawrence was buying, using, and selling fentanyl in the South Hill home. Detectives found drug paraphernalia, foil, and a plastic baggie containing fentanyl residue near the bed where the child was found. State crime lab testing identified Lawrence's DNA on the baggie.
Now, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office has issued a felony warrant for Lawrence for first-degree manslaughter.
Kyler Lawrence, 32, wanted in 5-year-old sons fentanyl death
What you can do:
Anyone who has seen Kyler Lawrence or knows of his whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, court documents filed in Pierce County Superior Court, and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.