Mom did nothing as 16-year-old Petaluma boy overdosed, police say

Danielle Foernsler, 34, was one of two adults arrested for child�endangerment after a 16-year-old boy overdosed. Danielle Foernsler, 34, was one of two adults arrested for child�endangerment after a 16-year-old boy overdosed. Photo: Petaluma Police Department / Photo: Petaluma Police Department / Image 1 of / 29 Caption Close Mom did nothing as 16-year-old Petaluma boy overdosed, police say 1 / 29 Back to Gallery

A 16-year-old boy died Monday morning in Petaluma from a drug overdose — possibly from Xanax containing fentanyl — leading to the arrest of his mother and her friend on suspicion of child endangerment and other drug charges, authorities said.

Petaluma police and medical personnel received a call at 4:17 a.m. Monday from a person on the 20 block of Vallejo Street. The caller said that their roommate’s friend seemed to be having a seizure and “his roommate and another friend were trying to put the victim in a car,” the Petaluma Police Department said in a statement.

When police arrived, they found the unconscious victim, a 16-year-old boy, and requested an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead at 5:09 a.m.

At the residence, officers found two suspects, 34-year-old transient Danielle Foernsler and Robert Harrison, 39, of Petaluma. Officials said Harrison had a loaded firearm and a loaded syringe.

Foernsler originally gave officers a fake name and claimed to be the boy’s cousin, but she later admitted to being the boy’s mother and that he had been in possession of Xanax that contained fentanyl, police said.

Both Harrison and Foernsler appeared to be under the influence of drugs, authorities said, and neither called for medical help when the boy began to suffer from an overdose.

The pair were arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of child endangerment, possession of a loaded firearm while possessing narcotics and being under the influence of narcotics.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney