DENVER (KDVR) — A 29-year-old woman in Douglas County was found guilty of a fentanyl overdose death that claimed the life of her 22-month-old son.
Hanna Gilmour was found guilty by a jury of felony child abuse resulting in death and misdemeanor child abuse in connection with the death of her toddler, Layton Gilmour, according to the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say that the child’s father, Jacob Birkbeck, arrived at Gilmour’s Littleton apartment in November 2022 for a custody exchange. While there, prosecutors say Birkbeck told Gilmour that Layton “didn’t look right,” to which Gilmour reportedly laughed and said the toddler was sleeping.
However, when Birkbeck arrived at his mother’s home just minutes later, Layton was not breathing. Birkbeck called 911. Later, Layton was pronounced dead.
Law enforcement investigators learned that the apartment Gilmour shared with her boyfriend was “littered with illegal substances” that reportedly included cocaine, mushrooms, marijuana and fentanyl. Prosecutors believe Layton was crawling onto the floor and accidentally ingested fentanyl, which caused his death.
23rd Judicial District Chief Deputy District Attorney Danielle Jaramillo, who co-led the prosecution, noted the emotional weight of the case.
“There are no winners here. A beautiful, innocent child is gone. But today, justice was served. Layton’s short life mattered, and this verdict reflects that,” Jaramillo said.
Gilmour is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12 and is facing between 16 and 48 years in prison.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
