Overview
- Police arrested Jerome Jordan, 35, and Charlene O’Connell, 32, and charged them with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect with great bodily harm; a judge ordered on Thursday that both remain held without bond.
- The Brevard County Medical Examiner concluded that 2‑year‑old Jonnie Jordan died from acute mitragynine intoxication, naming mitragynine as the primary active compound in kratom.
- Investigators say Jonnie gained access to kratom pills at O’Connell’s Palm Bay home on the night of May 17 and consumed as many as two and a half pills before showing blue lips, a seizure and abnormal breathing.
- Police say the adults watched the child’s symptoms but did not call 911 and that Jerome Jordan later urged doctors to give Narcan, which led detectives to consider an overdose early in the inquiry.
- The case has drawn attention to kratom’s easy availability, FDA safety warnings and recent DEA review of high‑potency analogs, and Jonnie’s family has publicly grieved while prosecutors pursue the criminal investigation.