Orlando resort sued after 1-year-old allegedly ingests fentanyl, lawsuit claims
FILE - A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chemist checks confiscated powder containing fentanyl at the DEA Northeast Regional Laboratory on October 8, 2019 in New York. (DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, Fla. - A one-year-old boy’s mother has filed a lawsuit against an Orlando resort after the child allegedly ingested fentanyl from a spoon found in a guest room.
April Bates filed the complaint March 13 in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Orange County on behalf of her son, identified in court records as M.S.
According to the lawsuit, the incident happened May 12, 2024, at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa on Turkey Lake Road. The filing claims the toddler was crawling in the room’s kitchen area when he found a spoon under the sink and put it in his mouth.
Shortly afterward, the child reportedly became unresponsive and lost consciousness, leading to an emergency hospital visit. Medical tests later allegedly detected fentanyl in his system.
The complaint alleges the spoon was left in an accessible location and that the resort failed to properly inspect the room before allowing guests to occupy it.
The lawsuit argues that drug activity in hotel rooms is a foreseeable risk and claims the resort should have had inspection procedures in place to detect potentially dangerous items.
Bates is seeking more than $50,000 in damages. The filing alleges the child suffered severe injuries, including physical impairment, emotional distress and a loss of enjoyment of life, and will require ongoing medical care.
The plaintiff has requested a jury trial. Court records show the lawsuit was filed electronically on March 13, 2026.