BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A Baton Rouge mom will spend life in prison for the overdose death of her 2-year-old son. Whitney Ard was convicted of second-degree murder in September, and she was sentenced Monday, Oct. 21. Ard, 31, was arrested in 2022 after Mitchell Robinson died after exposure to drugs. According to arrest documents, toxicology showed 14 ng/mL of fentanyl in his blood. The child was pronounced dead at a hospital in June 2022, and investigators learned he'd been treated at the hospital for drug exposure multiple times before. A witness, according to an affidavit, said he “ate mom’s pills.” "The position of the State remains that ultimate responsibility for the well-being of Mitchell Robinson III fell squarely with his mother, Whitney Ard. She brought the most lethal drug on our streets, fentanyl, into her home and allowed her child to be exposed to the drug not once, not twice, but three times – resulting in his tragic death by acute overdose. Although DCFS was alleged as not being vigilant in their follow-up of this case, the facts presented and found by the 12-person jury was that Whitney Ard, NOT DCFS, caused the death of Mitchell by bringing drugs into her home," District Attorney Hillar Moore said. After Robinson’s death, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services changed its policy to increase the priority response level of cases involving children and drugs. Ard was first charged with negligent homicide. In April, she declined a plea deal for a charge of manslaughter for a 30-year sentence. A judge denied the defense team's request for a new trial on Thursday, Oct. 17. She was sentenced to life without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Moore said Judge Louise Hines noted it was abhorrent that Ard sold or used drugs around her children or allowed others to do so, and the boy overdosing three times could not be excused. Latest News Cook shifts Pennsylvania Senate to 'toss-up,' Nebraska to 'lean Republican' Walmart and Aldi are once again offering meal deals for Thanksgiving What is pink cocaine? Autopsy finds drug in Liam Payne's body Trump bashes FEMA, NC governor as he tours Helene storm damage VW blends nostalgia and tech in new ID. Buzz