3 Children Left Alone For Hours After Mother Died Of Overdose; Drug Dealer Arrested

St. Louis County, Missouri -- A Missouri mother passed away due to a drug overdose, leaving her three children unattended for nearly a day in their home. The woman's drug dealer was arrested Thursday in connection with her death.

Susan Scotti, 36, was supplied with two capsules of fentanyl for $10 by 37-year-old Valentino Carpenter on June 21.

Fentanyl is a highly-potent synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times stronger.

Carpenter was aware that the woman's children were present at the residence, according to authorities.

He messaged Susan nearly three hours later and advised her not to consume the entire capsule, adding, "You almost died last night," KSN reported.

Federal prosecutors have charged Carpenter with possession and distribution of a controlled substance, St Louis Post Dispatch reported.

The circumstances of the woman's death on June 21 were made public after Carpenter's indictment by a federal grand jury.

At around 7:30 p.m., on the same day, a neighbor went to the house to check on the screaming children and found Susan lying lifeless on the couch. The children -- a 4-year-old girl, a 2-year-old boy and a 2-month-old infant girl -- were in a room protected by a baby gate.

Police believe the children had been trapped in the bedroom for about 20 hours.

Susan's parents, Richard and Rita Scotti are currently taking care of the children. They said they were aware of their daughter’s frequent drug use but were unaware of her fentanyl consumption.

The long-term care of the children lies on shaky ground but the state children's services have intervened to take care of them.

Richard told the outlet that gaining custody of the children could be difficult as Susan was unmarried and the children have different fathers.

Court records reveal Carpenter's history of arrests, one of which was for the possession of marijuana in 2014. He was arrested last week and was prosecuted on July 8.

He was placed in the St. Charles city prison on suspicion of felony distribution of narcotics, according to St. Charles Police Lt. Thomas Wilkison.

He now faces up to 20 years in jail with a fine of $1 million.