In addition to earlier charges of felony child endangerment, the district attorney's office has added murder to the charges against an SF couple whose two-year-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose in February — the city’s first time filing a murder charge in such a case.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Wednesday that she’s adding second-degree murder charges in the cases against Michelle Price, 38, and her boyfriend Steve Ramirez, 43, in connection to the February 2026 fentanyl overdose death of their two-year-old daughter Stevie, along with allegations that they willfully caused harm or injury resulting in her death.

While some media outlets refer to both Price and Ramirez as Stevie’s parents, it’s unclear whether Ramirez was Stevie’s father. The statement from the district attorney’s office refers to Price as her mother and calls Price and Ramirez a couple, as does KRON4 and KPIX. There were also previous CPS reports filed against Price over the quality of her care of Stevie — but not Ramirez.

Stevie died on February 12 at a residence on the 3800 block of 18th Street. Police responded around 5:16 am after receiving a 911 call that she wasn’t breathing. She was pronounced dead when medics arrived, and they determined she had likely been dead for several hours, as there were signs of rigor mortis and lividity — bluish-purple discoloration of the skin.

Officers reportedly referred to the home as a “hoarder house,” with court documents noting that the home was littered with drug paraphernalia, including three used cylindrical pipes, lighters, and torches. A used container of Narcan and a white powder substance later identified as fentanyl were on the bed, along with bottles of spoiled milk.

Jenkins said Price and Ramirez were arrested and charged with felony child endangerment and possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Ramirez was also charged with additional counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting, obstructing, and delaying a peace officer.

Price was released February 19 and allowed to remain out of custody, and Ramirez was released February 24, despite the prosecution’s objections in both cases.

As the Chronicle reports, prosecutors said that Stevie was born with fentanyl in her system, and she was in intensive care for several months after birth. The motion also said Ramirez was arrested for out-of-county warrants 11 days after Stevie’s birth, and police reportedly observed “extreme abscesses” from fentanyl use on Ramirez's legs.

There were at least four child protective services cases initiated against Price prior to Stevie’s death, as the Chronicle reported last month. Two of the cases, which were still open, involved neglect allegations, and a previous case was substantiated as neglect before it was closed. The fourth case, which was deemed inconclusive, alleged unsafe living conditions, drug exposure, and failure to supervise Stevie and another child “despite repeated intervention.”

“A two-year-old child was found deceased in a residence saturated with fentanyl, drug paraphernalia and extreme filth, and the magistrate was aware that open CPS cases existed involving ongoing neglect of this very child,” wrote Assistant District Attorney Leigh Frazier in February. "Prior CPS supervision, formal interventions, and monitoring failed to prevent continued neglect, ongoing drug use in the residence, and ultimately the death of the child."

Following the completion of the toxicology report, which showed lethal levels of fentanyl as well as naloxone (Narcan) in the toddler’s bloodstream, Jenkins amended the couple’s charges to second-degree murder, along with allegations that Price and Ramirez willfully caused harm or injury resulting in Stevie’s death.

As KTVU reports, Jenkins said the parents’ use of Narcan before the arrival of first responders proves they had full knowledge that their actions put their child in a life-threatening situation.

“There was fentanyl found in this home that was loosely out and available to this toddler," Jenkins said. “It was clear to me that these parents were aware of its lethality and the danger of fentanyl.”

Jenkins’s motion to amend the complaint was scheduled for Thursday morning at the Hall of Justice when prosecutors planned to argue in favor of having the couple detained without bail, pending trial. Jenkins notes this is the first murder case the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office has filed in connection to a fatal fentanyl overdose.

The case remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with “SFPD.”

Image: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: San Francisco district attorney  Brooke Jenkins speaks during a news conference on October 31, 2022 in  San Francisco, California.