Portsmouth woman gets 3 years in prison after granddaughter’s accidental overdose death

PORTSMOUTH — A woman was sentenced this week to three years in prison for her role in the overdose death of her 2-year-old granddaughter. Karen Anita Jackson, 59, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child abuse. According to prosecutors, her granddaughter died after ingesting fentanyl while under Jackson’s care.

The incident happened in September 2020. Dispatchers received a call about an unresponsive child near the 400 block of Hanbury Avenue, off George Washington Highway. The toddler was taken to a local hospital, where she died.



Jackson was ordered to serve five years of supervised probation after her release from prison. During that time, she must complete a substance abuse assessment and have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 12..