Ripon Woman Charged In 2020 Drug Related Death Of Husband

A Fond du Lac County woman has been charged in a 2020 fentanyl-related death at her home in Ripon.

54-year-old Carla Endeward, is charged with eight counts, including First Degree Reckless Homicide, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.

According to the criminal complaint, On March 5, 2020 Police were called to Ripon Medical Center to investigate a possible suspicious death.

Endeward had taken her non breathing pulseless husband to the emergency room. Medical staff at the hospital were unable to revive him.

Autopsy and toxicology reports from the Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner showed the cause of death was cocaine and fentanyl.

In an interview with Ripon Police, Endeward stated that she was sleeping and when she got up, found the victim slumped over in bed with blood around his nose.

After some time of trying to do CPR Endeward dragged her husband to the downstairs neighbor’s door asking for help getting him into a
vehicle to be taken to the hospital.

Endeward said the time between when she found the victim unconscious to the time she went for help from the neighbor was about an hour. She said she was trying to do CPR on the victim and contact someone to bring over Narcan.

Endeward is currently being held at Taycheedah Correctional Institution and an initial appearance is anticipated within the next week.

At the time of the death she was on probation for manufacture/delivery of heroin.

This case is being investigated by the City of Ripon Police Department and prosecuted by Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney.