Toddler left in Mesa garage on 111-degree day later tested positive for fentanyl, police say

A mother accused of leaving her 2-year-old son alone in a garage without air conditioning has been arrested after the child later tested positive for fentanyl, methamphetamine and THC, according to Mesa police.

Amy Nicole Shellhammer, 32, was arrested on Monday in connection with an alleged incident on July 29.

On that day, she texted her neighbor that she was leaving her son in the garage because she was sick, according to court documents. The neighbor — a foster mother of other children — went to the residence and found the toddler asleep.

“The neighbor said it took her 20 to 30 minutes to wake up the child after removing him from the garage. Nobody else was at the defendant’s residence at the time,” court documents state.

On that day, in the Phoenix area, the high temperature reached 111 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Police: Toddler later found with fentanyl, meth and THC in his system

After the neighbor contacted police, the Department of Child Safety took custody of the 2-year-old boy. A medical evaluation found fentanyl, methamphetamine and THC in his system.

“The defendant admitted that she smokes fentanyl, meth, and marijuana 10+ times per day inside her residence with her 2-year-old victim son present,” court documents state. “There is also an active protection order listing the 2-year-old as the victim and the defendant as the defendant.”

That protection order, signed by Shellhammer, was served Aug. 12, 2025, according to court documents. It states she cannot contact the boy and must stay at least 100 yards away from him.

Police retrieved copies of the protection order from Colorado and confirmed it was still active.

“In both instances above, the defendant put the victim in a circumstance likely to produce death or serious physical injury to her 2-year-old child,” court documents state.

Shellhammer was charged with one count of violating a court order and one count of child abuse.

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