Father reveals shocking way his one-year-old son died from fentanyl overdose while he fought for custody

A California father has filed a $65 million lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services after his one-year-old son overdosed while in their care.

Justin Bulley was under the care of the Los Angeles County welfare system and on an approved visit with his mother when he died on February 18.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined his cause of death was the effects of fentanyl.

Now, Montise Bulley, the toddler’s father — who was trying to get custody of him — has filed a lawsuit seeking $65 million in damages, alleging that a social worker was in the home when the boy died, the Los Angeles Times.

‘I don’t care about the money, I want my son. They robbed me,” Montise said.

Justin (pictured) was on an approved visit to his mother’s home, where the unnamed wife and grandfather were drinking and using drugs when he died

‘I was devastated. I got that phone call… I didn’t understand it. Who gets a call like that? I didn’t know what to do. I was just in shock.

“I just miss my boy, I cry almost every day.”

According to legal documentation, Justin was at his mother’s house, where the unnamed woman and grandfather were drinking and using drugs.

His mother admitted to police that she had drunk alcohol when Justin and his two siblings, ages 3 and 5, were visiting, and that their grandfather had smoked fentanyl, the coroner’s investigation found.

The investigation revealed that there were several versions of what happened, but the grandfather told authorities that the child “had come into contact with fentanyl at some point.”

Police who searched the home reported finding “glass pipes, bags of unknown substances and other drug paraphernalia,” including some in “areas accessible to the children.”

No arrests have been made in Justin’s death, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the case, Lt. Michael Gomez told the LA Times.

The father’s attorney, Brian Claypool, claimed that a social worker was at home when the overdose occurred, but that he fled when the toddler was found unconscious, according to KABC.

Montise (pictured) tried to gain custody of his son, saying visitation should never have been allowed given the woman’s criminal past

“On the day Justin dies, mother and father were using drugs and alcohol, and a DCFS visitation supervisor was present,” Claypool said.

“This person is supposed to be protecting children and she is at home while the mother of the young children and her father are engaged in drug dealing.

“In this case, there were huge red flags. In this matter, DCFS played Russian roulette with the lives of Justin and his siblings.”

Montise tried to gain custody of his son, saying the boy should never have been allowed to visit his mother in the first place.

According to his attorney, Justin’s mother has a previous conviction for drunken driving and child endangerment in 2023, and his grandfather has a criminal history, including drug-related arrests.