A man is behind bars, charged with fentanyl murder after allegedly giving his daughter the dose that killed her on Thanksgiving Day in 2023.
The tragedy unfolded at her apartment in an Alief neighborhood, where Joshua Youngblood, 45, was with his daughter and two of her friends. He’s now in jail with a $150,000 bond.
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A Thanksgiving tragedy
Harris County deputies responded to a 911 call On November 23, 2023. Youngblood’s daughter, 28-year-old Jade Youngblood, was found unresponsive on her bed, while one of her friends was in the bathtub, suffering from a suspected overdose. Paramedics tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene just after 5:00 a.m. Her friend was given Narcan and taken to HCA West Houston Hospital.
Conflicting stories
According to court documents, Youngblood said his daughter called him earlier that night, saying she felt sick after drinking and taking Xanax. He arrived at her apartment around 10 p.m., drank with her and her friends, then fell asleep on the couch. Around 4 a.m., he found his daughter unresponsive and called 911.
However, one of the friends told investigators that Youngblood brought drugs to the apartment—a black bottle believed to contain PCP and a white powder suspected to be cocaine. While she didn’t see anyone use the powder, she suspected that his daughter and the other friend had. She also mentioned that Joshua had rolled some marijuana, which his daughter and the friend smoked before passing out. The surviving friend later confirmed this version of events.
An autopsy report concluded that the daughter died from fentanyl, alprazolam, and ethanol.
Allegations of assault
The surviving friend later reported waking up in the bathtub with her clothes wet and her underwear on backward. Concerned about a possible sexual assault, she went to Ben Taub Hospital for an exam. She also accused Youngblood of making unwanted advances and refusing to leave.
Youngblood’s defense
Youngblood denied supplying drugs and said he urged his daughter to stop using Xanax. He claimed she texted him asking for cocaine, but he told her he couldn’t afford it.
Investigators confirmed Youngblood’s phone was near the apartment that night, but no evidence of drug-related messages was found on his daughter’s phone.
Youngblood remains in jail, awaiting his next court appearance.
