HOUSTON — We’re hearing from a mother whose son died after taking a pill that was laced with fentanyl.
Jose Rafael Mella was seventeen years old when he passed away nearly one year ago. Now, two people are charged in his case.
Jennifer Ferrer recognizes that her son made a poor choice, but she's sharing her story with us as a warning to other teens who might not realize their actions can have grave consequences.
“He told me, ‘Mom, wake me up for school. I love you,’” Ferrer said.
The morning of September 14, she’ll never forget.
"I found him and I knew he was gone,” she said. “But you know, you still try to do something to save him."
It wasn’t until months later that Ferrer found out her son took a painkiller laced with fentanyl.
“He wasn't an addict and he didn't ask for that,” she said. “If he asked for a painkiller, if he asked for anything, he didn't say, ‘Give me something with fentanyl.’"
This month, according to court records, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people in connection to Jose's death. Guillermo Sisnados and Brandin Delgado were both charged with 'fentanyl murder by delivery,’ a fairly new charge, after a new law went into effect in Texas in September 2023, reclassifying fentanyl overdoses as 'poisonings.'
Guillermo is accused of selling Jose the pill, while his friend Delgado is accused of giving him a ride. The judge explained during Delgado's probable cause court hearing why that alleged act makes him culpable as well.
“It was in the packaging for Percocet pill at the time Mr. Delgado picked it up and allegedly delivered it to the complaining witness who was his friend,” the judge said.
“It was amazing to know that my son wasn't just going to be another number, another statistic," Ferrer said.
She said her son was dealing with a lot of pain after being hospitalized months prior and diagnosed with SMA, a condition that that causes abdominal and chest pain, nausea and vomiting after eating. He had to use a feeding tube.
“There was a point where he was like, ‘Mom, I'll eat more. I'll do everything.’ But he was like, ‘I just can't do it anymore,’: Ferrer said. “Like it was just hurting him."
Her family is left heartbroken. She says her son's death has caused lifelong trauma for her and his siblings. Now, she's urging teens to not be so trusting.
“My son paid the ultimate consequence and I'm not saying that he's not at fault in his own decision, but trusting someone that that much to completely let your life go,” she said.
Both suspects are still in jail. Sisnados is due back in court in October and Delgado in two weeks.
Ferrer says she wants people to remember her son for the loving, happy, full of life teen that he was before his life was cut short.