A woman and two men were arrested Thursday, April 13, on suspicion of first-degree murder in the March death of a 5-year-old girl, police said.
The mother of the victim, Melissa Welch, and her boyfriend, Cody Craig, were pulled over and taken into custody on the 3300 block of Northwest Avenue in Bellingham, and Michael Doane, the father of the victim, was arrested at his residence on the 2300 block of Douglas Road in Ferndale Thursday morning. All three individuals were booked into Whatcom County Jail, according to a Ferndale Police Department release.
On March 8, the victim was found dead in a residence with a fatal amount of fentanyl in her blood. Upon searching the residence, police found fentanyl, methamphetamine and methadone along with drug paraphernalia in areas accessible to the 5-year-old girl and her 8-year-old sibling.
Welch, Craig and Doane were present the night of the girl’s death, and all three used fentanyl at the residence, police said. Welch and Craig distributed fentanyl days after the victim’s death, according to the release.
Ferndale Police Department and Child Protective Services placed the victim’s sibling with family members.
Whatcom Sheriff’s Office and the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force assisted in the Thursday arrests. During transport to the jail, Welch experienced a medical problem and the officer pulled over to request Emergency Medical Services, Ferndale Communications Officer Riley Sweeney said in an email. Welch was briefly evaluated at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Hospital before being booked into jail.
