For almost a year, the remains of little Mehlaya — a Syracuse baby who died of a fentanyl overdose — have been tucked inside a zip-lock bag in her mother’s purse.
Recently, Heaven Blue carefully poured her 2-year-old daughter’s ashes into a small gold and marble urn. A bit of ash landed on the floor of her Syracuse apartment. She swept the ash into the urn and gave it a kiss.
The urn was donated by a stranger who read a Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard article about the child’s death from a fentanyl overdose and the mystery of how the baby got poisoned.
Related article: A child’s death and a mystery: How did Mehlaya get the fentanyl? ‘I felt my heart shatter’
The article and a video viewed 1.2 million times on YouTube touched people across the country who reached out to help Blue in some way. Many were concerned about Mehlaya’s ashes being kept in a plastic bag. Nearly 9,000 commented on the video.
People wanted to donate urns and donate money. One out-of-state person with a non-profit agency that helps single moms offered her a job.
Some said they couldn’t imagine Blue’s pain at losing her baby. Others said they knew her pain and wanted to help. One person said they were on disability and had children of their own but wanted to donate. An Etsy shop owner in Oregon reached out wanting to donate a custom-made urn.
“I saw her in the video with ashes in a ziploc bag, that doesn’t sit right with me, and that needs to be changed,” said one person who reached out to Syracuse.com offering to buy an urn.
Someone even saw her story in Africa, Blue said.
“It’s the best love I’ve felt since my daughter died,” Blue said. “I appreciate all the love and support.”
Mehlaya Blue died April 25 from a fentanyl overdose while at her grandmother’s house in Syracuse, according to a state report. No one has been charged with her death, but Syracuse police and the Onondaga District Attorney’s Office are investigating. Blue has been left with only questions and until last Friday a baggie of ashes.
Rochelle Swieton from Central New York donated the urn and a locket. When Blue got the urn, she immediately put her baby’s ashes in it. The urn will sit next to Blue’s bed, she said.
Swieton said she feels better knowing the locket will allow Mehlaya to have a place next to Blue’s heart.
“The article touched me in a way that is hard to explain,” Swieton said in an email. “I felt such sadness for Heaven and Mehlaya.”
Swieton’s actions comforted Blue.
“It’s the first time after my daughter’s death that I’ve felt OK, that I’ve felt like I’m not alone,” Blue said.
The locket will hold a small portion of the ashes so she can still have Mehlaya with her daily.
“I’ll hold you in my heart until I hold you in my arms in Heaven,” is engraved on one side. “You’ll stay right here beside me.”
Heaven Blue, 21, admires the urn she received from the community on Feb 16, 2024. Before she carried her daughter Mehlaya Blue's ashes in a ziplock baggie in her purse. (Rylee Kirk | Rkirk@syracuse.com)Rylee Kirk
Heaven Blue carries photos and the ashes of daughter, Mehlaya, in her purse. Mehlaya, 2, died April 25, 2023 at a Syracuse hospital. She had high levels of fentanyl in her system, after staying at her paternal grandmother’s home in Syracuse. (Katrina Tulloch)Katrina Tulloch
Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.