Mar. 21—A North Augusta mother is facing murder charges after her 1-year-old child was found unresponsive in January.

Alexzandra Elizabeth Howell, 23, of North Augusta was arrested and charged March 20 with murder or homicide by child abuse and two counts unlawful neglect of child or helpless person by a legal custodian, according to jail records.

Howell's arrest comes after her 1-year-old daughter Alexavia Aguirre was found unresponsive and taken to Aiken Regional Medical Centers on Jan.20.

Aguirre was pronounced dead at the hospital.

An Aiken County Sheriff's County arrest warrant said Howell committed homicide by child abuse and caused the death of Alexavia.

Howell committed child child abuse and neglect by creating an unsafe environment with consistent abuse of non-prescribed drugs and narcotics, left in reach within reach of the victim, the warrant said.

Once Howell realized the victim was in medical distress, Howell concealed the child and the active emergency from others failing to provide the child with required immediate, life-saving medical attention, carrying out normal activities and ignored the medical emergency for hours, deprived the victim of medical attention and demonstrating extreme indifference to the life of the child, the warrant said.

A toxicology report indicates the Alexavia ingested a fatal amount of fentanyl, the warrant said.

Another warrant said Howell did unlawfully place a 5-year-old child, whom she was in charge and custody of at unreasonable risk of harm by creating an unsafe environment in which Howell engaged in consistent abuse of non-prescribed drugs and narcotics and left them in reach of the child.

Howell also gave the child a "migraine mocktail," which consisted of a dose of non-prescribed drugs that was confirmed by toxicology report, the warrant said.

The report there was an overdose of benzodiazepine, the warrant said.

An additional warrant said Howell did unlawfully placed a 4-year-old child, whom she was in charge and custody of at unreasonable risk of harm by creating an unsafe environment in which Howell engaged in consistent abuse of non-prescribed drugs and narcotics and left them in reach of the child, the warrant said.

Howell's actions resulted in the overdose of the 5-year-old and the death of Alexavia, the warrant said.

Howell said she left the residence at L and L Lane on Jan. 20 to take another child to the emergency room because of migraines, the incident report from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office said in an earlier article by the Aiken Standard.

At the hospital, the other child stated she was fine and Howell them drove back to the residence, the report said.

Howell said Alexavia fell asleep in the vehicle, the report said.

After carrying the other child into the residence, she found Alexavia cold, but still breathing, the report said.

Howell said she placed Alexavia near an air vent to warm her up, the report said.

According to a release from Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables in an earlier article, "The child was found to be in cardiac arrest and was transported to Aiken Regional Medical Centers where the child was pronounced dead."

Howell was taken into custody in January and was charged with possession of fentanyl and was released.

Howell is listed as an inmate at the Aiken County detention center and has no bond.