Man's daughter died from fentanyl as he sexually assaulted her friend after drugging both on Thanksgiving, police say

A man was charged with murder after supplying his adult daughter and her friend with fentanyl so that he could sexually assault the friend, according to police.

Joshua Youngblood visited his 27-year-old daughter at her apartment for Thanksgiving Day in 2023 and allegedly supplied her with a lethal dose of fentanyl. He then proceeded to assault her friend as his daughter succumbed to the drug.

'You are a vile person. This is a heinous crime.'

On Tuesday, law enforcement officials announced that Youngblood was charged with murder as well as sexual harassment.

"While his daughter was gradually dying from fentanyl, Youngblood proceeded to assault his daughter's friend, who was also under the influence of fentanyl," said Special Agent Will Kimball with the DEA in Houston.

Youngblood was charged under a law that was passed by the Texas legislature in 2023 to allow murder charges in cases where fentanyl distribution led to a victim's death.

"This case is extremely, extremely disheartening because it goes against all decency," Kimball added.

Bernice Hawkins, the victim's mother, addressed Youngblood during a statement at the press conference.

"Josh, you are a vile person. This is a heinous crime. Jade loved you, and you took her from us," she said tearfully. "And for that I hope you pay with your life."

Hawkins said she gave birth to Youngblood's daughter after getting pregnant in high school.

"Josh was a come-and-go kind of person. When it was convenient for him. And then as Jade got older, it was more of 'What can Jade do for Josh?'" she said.

Hawkins said that her daughter fought to try to have a relationship with her father.

"She craved the love of her father, and I think she gave him a lot of exceptions and allowed him a lot of leniency in areas other people probably would not," Hawkins added.

He is being held on a $150,000 bond.

Scenes can be viewed on the news video report from KHOU-TV on YouTube.

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