Egg Harbor Township mother pleads to probation in toddler's overdose

An Egg Harbor Township woman accused of failing to get her toddler help after he allegedly ingested methamphetamine was released after pleading guilty, BreakingAC has learned.

Holly Peace, 43, faces five years' probation when she is sentenced March 12 on a charge of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Peace was arrested in June, after her then-16-month-old son's father went to police claiming he was told the boy ingested methamphetamine but had not received medical treatment. 

She and Gabrielle DePasquale, 44, of Atlantic City, were charged with second-degree child endangerment and jailed in June.

Peace was additionally charged with neglect of a child and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

She was ordered held pending trial during a detention hearing days after her arrest. DePasquale was released.

DePasquale told the father that the boy "became extremely ill and lethargic appearing to overdose on suspected methamphetamine," according to what was said at Peace's hearing.

The boy's father called 911, and the child tested positive for drugs. The child did recover.

The timeframe between the drug ingestion and the father learning of the issue was not clear.

An audio recording allegedly captured a conversation between Peace and DePasquale.

"They are unsure if the child would survive and this defendant (Peace) admitted being negligent in leaving around suspected CDS (controlled dangerous substance) that the child did wind up ingesting," Lord told the judge.

Peace also apparently expressed concern that she could get in trouble and lose her son.

She pleaded guilty 

Peace, who has a history of drug issues, was in an intensive outpatient program for treatment through John Brooks at the time of the crime.

John Brooks does have a program at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, but it was unclear whether Peace was a part  of it. 

She was released Jan. 17, after serving about seven months in jail. The state argued against her release pending sentencing. 

At the time of her arrest, Peace also had a pending shoplifting charge out of Somers Point. Her criminal history included two prior convictions for cyber-harassment from 2018, and terroristic threats from 2022.