‘Drugs cost me everything’: Richmond mom whose teen son overdosed on her fentanyl is sent to prison

A woman whose 14-year-old son died after overdosing on her fentanyl in his father’s Richmond home – and who hid from police as paramedics tried to save the teen – was sentenced Friday to 14 years in prison.

Cara Ullrich, 46, and Eric Ullrich, 52, each pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of their son Trent after they initially were charged with murder. Eric Ullrich was sentenced to 12 years in prison after four days of testimony.

Cara Ullrich is required to serve half her prison time followed by one year mandatory supervised release. She will receive credit for 462 days in custody.

Before announcing her sentence Friday, Judge Tiffany Davis asked Ullrich: “What happened in your life ... I want to know what happened in your childhood” that led to this point.

Ullrich tearfully answered that she had a hard life, was kicked out of her mother’s house at the age of 12 and used drugs to “make the pain go away.”

She said she had been with Eric Ullrich for 30 years and married for 15, and they had a very abusive relationship. Since being in jail she said she has lost many family members and was not allowed to go say goodbye to Trent.

“I made decisions that cost me my son ... Drugs cost me everything,” she said, also stating that she was not making excuses for her son’s death. “I take full responsibility for my actions. I should have known better.”

Davis thanked her for sharing her story and said she sees “humanity in the situation. I have sympathy for you. You have had a lot of loss. ... The question is, where does Cara go from here? You’ll decide that.”

Much like her ex-husband’s recent sentencing hearing, during Cara Ullrich’s three day hearing, Davis saw police body-cam video from Jan. 3, 2024.

The video and audio captured paramedics trying to save Trent’s life as he lay on the floor in his father’s living room unresponsive. A steady compression is heard from the automatic resuscitation device working to start the boy’s heart.

The videos also showed an array of illicit drugs and paraphernalia throughout the house and Eric Ullrich rambling as he gave statements to police that proved to be false about what led to his son’s dire condition, including that he didn’t know his son had ingested drugs or that his ex-wife was in the house. He feigned surprise when detectives found Cara Ullrich hiding in a bathroom tub while paramedics continued to try and save the teen.

Rather than calling 911 earlier when they realized Trent had taken the drugs, the couple argued, tried to revive him in the shower and laid him on the couch but then fell asleep. When they woke, Trent was still unresponsive, his lips were blue and he was drooling, Eric Ullrich said. Then they called 911, but it was too late.

Trent was later pronounced dead at the hospital, from a mixture of fentanyl and xylazine, a horse tranquilizer. An expert who testified at Eric Ullrich’s sentencing said the child would have lived had 911 been called hours earlier, when the couple realized that Trent had gotten into her drugs and was overdosing.

But Cara Ullrich had warrants for her arrest and they feared getting in trouble with Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, prosecutors contended. The couple had their children removed from their care before, according to courtroom testimony during Eric Ullrich‘s sentencing.

As Eric Ullrich called 911, Cara Ullrich ran upstairs, where detectives later found her hiding. Body-cam video played during her hearing showed a detective walk into the bathroom and Cara Ullrich popping up, appearing disheveled.

During both sentencing hearings, the judge saw dozens of photos showing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, as well as scales, paraphernalia and white residue, throughout the house and in Trent’s bedroom.

On Friday, Davis held up many of those photos, including the one of the family posing with bags of marijuana on Christmas, which the judge called “disturbing ... a glorification of drugs on Christmas Eve. It’s shocking.”

She held up a picture of Eric Ullrich’s house where Trent died. She described the outside as gloomy and dark, “like a horror movie.” Of the inside the judge said “There is so much darkness inside of this house.”

The judge also presented Ullrich with mugshots of her from jail and prison stints dating back to 2010. She had her look at each one and see the effect drugs had on her. She asked Ullrich what she saw in the last mug taken the day Trent died. She replied: “A shattered woman who lost everything.”

Davis noted the first mug and said: “What I see is a beautiful young woman, a beautiful young mom, then as drug use progressed it stole your vitality away from you. It stole you away from your kids.”

Davis referred to courses Cara Ullrich has been taking toward her GED while in custody and the good grades she’s earning. She told her she is smart and today, without drugs, she is beautiful. She encouraged her to continue with her education and one day help others “so this doesn’t happen to another child.”

“I think you can take advantage” of the prison time, Davis said. “You can come out better. You still have a whole life ahead of you. You can spend the rest of your life in and out of prison ... looking like crap or beautiful like you look today, good and sober. I do see potential in you, Cara.”

Ullrich’s attorney, Brian Stevens, released a statement crediting the judge for looking at his client “as a human being and what led to the dark path on which Cara found herself at the time of the offense. If Cara avails herself of the many IDOC substance abuse programs and becomes a rehabilitated and productive member of the community, it will have been greatly influenced by Judge Davis’ positive remarks and encouragement.”