Just a few months after her father died from a fentanyl overdose, prosecutors say a 20-month-old met the same fate. The child, identified as Baby Z, was last seen alive on July 27, 2024, inside a California home. She was reportedly staying with her mother, Korisa Lynn Woll, 39, and 4-year-old brother, in a home well-known for illegal drug activities. Tragically, Baby Z ingested a fatal dose of fentanyl. Even more horrifically, her mother allegedly didn’t call for help and now faces a murder charge.
According to court documents obtained by KRON, the family was staying at Casa Azul with a friend. The home is a part of Project Homekey, providing “permanent supportive housing for those who have been chronically homeless.” Woll allegedly stayed at a friend’s apartment at Casa Azul for two nights with Baby Z and her 4-year-old son. On the night of July 27, the little boy reportedly heard his sister struggling to breathe and vomiting. The child said he went for help, but Woll allegedly didn’t respond to his pleas.
“He went to wake his mother up in the living room, but she did not respond,” Kristal Salcido from the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office wrote in the court documents. The following morning, when Woll awoke, she made a horrific discovery. “My baby is dead,” she reportedly yelled.
Woll allegedly attempted to revive her daughter at home. “They then tried to give the baby Narcan and mouth-to-mouth (CPR). They did not call 911. It is believed the baby was dead for approximately 9-11 hours before being brought by (Woll) to Dominican Hospital at 1:37 p.m. on Sunday (July 28),” Salcido wrote, KRON reported.
Later that day, Woll took Baby Z to the hospital. She reportedly told staff she thought her daughter may have overdosed on something she “picked up.” An autopsy revealed Baby Z had 22 ng/ml of fentanyl in her system. Per KRON, a fatal dose for an adult is 7 to 10 ng/ml.
According to court documents, Woll gave birth to Baby Z in a California emergency room. She allegedly left the hospital with her baby “against medical advice,” KRON reported. Per prosecutors, Woll used methamphetamine, and some suspected she was a fentanyl dealer. Baby Z’s father, Robert Tillman, was a known drug user and suspected child abuser.
Woll and Tillman shared four children, a 16-year-old girl, an 8-year-old boy, a 4-year-old boy, and Baby Z. The family lived in Tennessee before moving to California, and took Baby Z to a hospital when she was 4 months old, per the news outlet. The family claimed an older child hurt the screaming baby.
“Doctors reported it to the department of children family services. X-Rays revealed the child had a fracture on her (arm). Both parents refused to allow (their) other children to be interviewed by department of child services or police,” court documents noted, per KRON.
A short time later, the family moved to California, and Tillman allegedly physically assaulted their 8-year-old son. Police arrested Tillman and took him into custody on felony child abuse charges, KRON reported. Against the prosecutor’s wishes, a judge released him from custody on April 4, 2024. Tillman died the same day from a fentanyl overdose at the home where the family lived.
The homeowner who let the family stay at his home at 402 Lindon Street, reportedly told investigators Woll and Tillman had a history of fentanyl use. The day Tillman died, the homeowner told police Woll and Tillman both became extremely intoxicated, per KRON. He revived Woll with Narcan, but Tillman did not survive.
“The children were present in the home at the time of the death. SCPD called Santa Cruz County Department of Children Family Services. Despite multiple reports of abuse and neglect, both from police and the State of Tennessee, Santa Cruz DCFS did not open any case involving (Woll) either before or after Robert Tillman’s death,” Salcido wrote.
Following Tillman’s death, Woll allegedly lived with her parents, who provided her with a safe place to stay but worried about her future.
“Their home in Scotts Valley is spacious and safe, and there was plenty of room for the children. Her parents were very supportive of her living in their home, but had concerns about her sobriety and wanted her to get a job. She left for days at a time with all three children and they did not know where she was,” Salcido wrote, per KRON.
Woll reportedly left her parents’ home on July 16, 2024, with her two youngest children and went back to the home where Tillman died. After an alleged days-long drug binge, she went to stay with a friend at Casa Azul, the news outlet reported. Woll, Baby Z, and her 4-year-old son stayed at the apartment July 26 and 27. Officials pronounced her baby dead on July 28.
Woll faces a murder charge and will appear in court on June 18. Until then, she is being held without bond. A public defender will represent her in court.
