In the quiet hours of a late summer evening, an apartment on Fuller Street in Dorchester became the center of an unimaginable nightmare. On August 17, 2026, at approximately 8:51 PM, officers assigned to District B-3 responded to a desperate radio call regarding an unknown emergency. Upon arrival, they were met with a devastating scene: a four-year-old child, lifeless and unresponsive. First responders fought frantically, administering CPR before rushing the little girl to a local hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead.
What began as a heartbreaking tragedy soon morphed into a chilling criminal investigation. A post-mortem autopsy revealed that the young victim’s life was stolen by acute fentanyl intoxication.
Weeks later, the investigation culminated in a dramatic arrest. At approximately 10:25 AM on Saturday, October 24, 2026, members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit tracked down and arrested 35-year-old Dayanna Familia of Dorchester in the area of 17 Eastbrook Road in Dedham. Familia was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant issued out of Dorchester District Court, facing grave charges that include manslaughter, possession of Class A drugs, destruction of evidence, and intentionally misleading an investigator in a criminal investigation.
For a community left reeling, the details are as infuriating as they are heartbreaking—a stark reminder of a young life extinguished far too soon, and the betrayal of the one person charged with keeping her safe.
The Boston Police Department’s Homicide Unit is actively investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident. Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact the Homicide Unit directly.
