baby exposed to fentanyl; Tigard’s grandmother arrested

Julia Papstlo arrested after drug paraphernalia was allegedly found in her Jeep, May 3, 2024 (Tigard PD)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Tigard grandmother is facing five separate charges after she allegedly passed out in a moving Jeep and exposed her 10-month-old granddaughter to fentanyl.

Julia Papstlo was arrested late May 3 after an officer spotted the “unlicensed Jeep” at the Tigard Plaza shopping center, police said. The officer looked into the “parked and moving” Jeep and saw that Papstlo was passed out behind the wheel and there was a baby in a car seat in the back seat. The officer also saw drug paraphernalia clearly visible, officials said.

The baby’s mother, who was contacted by police, was at a store with her four-year-old daughter and said she had been gone for about 30 minutes.

The baby was taken to a hospital for evaluation and tested positive for fentanyl, authorities said. The powdery substance found in the Jeep was also fentanyl.

Apostello was booked into the Washington County Jail on two counts of criminal abuse, child neglect, endangering the welfare of a minor and reckless endangerment.