Third person convicted in fentanyl-related death of Leavenworth toddler sentenced
A Leavenworth man, one of three convicted in the fentanyl-related death of a toddler last year, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.
On Wednesday, Kenneth C. Hedgecock, 35, was sentenced to 120 months on a count of involuntary manslaughter and 18 months for aggravated endangering a child. The sentences will run consecutively to one another and consecutive to all prior sentences he is currently serving, according to a news release from the Leavenworth County attorney’s office.
E-lah Brown Jr., known by loved ones as EJ, died of acute fentanyl toxicity in March 2025. The 3-year-old was in the care of Hedgecock and his girlfriend Tara A. Huerta, who were neighbors of the toddler’s mother, at the time of the incident.
“With all three defendants now convicted, this case highlights the serious risks fentanyl poses, especially to children,” said Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson in an emailed news release. “Careless actions can have tragic consequences, including the loss of an innocent child’s life. When adults bring these substances into a home, they put others at risk.”
Briana R.M. Davis, E.J.’s mom, was previously convicted of three charges in her son’s death, including child endangerment. Davis previously told The Star that she was at Huerta and Hedgecock’s apartment when her son fell asleep and she left EJ in their care while she got a face tattoo.
During the police investigation, Hedgecock and Huerta admitted to using drugs while the child was inside the apartment, the news release said. They told investigators that around midnight, they noticed the child was breathing differently and appeared to be having a bad dream.
Hedgecock yelled the child’s name, and the child opened his eyes and looked at him before going back to sleep, authorities said. The Leavenworth man later told investigators that he woke up at around 4:20 a.m. to check on EJ. That’s when he realized something was wrong.
After waking up Huerta, the two observed that the toddler was no longer breathing and they called 911, the release said.
Tara Ann Huerta, 40, was sentenced late last month to 97 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections, according to a release by the Leavenworth County attorney’s office.
The crime laboratory for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation had confirmed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine were present in the apartment.
The release regarding Hedgecock’s sentencing said swabs taken from the couch where the child had been sleeping tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. A small baggie with residue found under the couch also tested positive for methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
And a corner tie recovered from a couch cup holder tested positive for methamphetamine, the release said.
Previous reporting by PJ Green and Caroline Zimmerman contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 2, 2026 at 11:53 AM.
