An Indiana couple faces felony child neglect charges after a 6-month-old infant died from fentanyl and methamphetamine poisoning, authorities said.
Nicole Neely, 42, and Owen Miller, 43, are each charged with one count of neglect resulting in the death of a dependent and two counts of neglect resulting in the death of a dependent. There is. report WND.
According to the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office, a neighbor called police after finding the toddler unresponsive at his parents’ home on Jan. 18.
“During an interview with authorities, Neely told investigators that the child had been lying in the bedroom with Miller for 10 minutes when Miller went to the kitchen,” the local newspaper reported. “When she returned, she claimed that the child was limp and not breathing, so she tried to take the child to a neighbor who happened to work in the medical field. .”
Another neighbor “later visited the child’s home,” but CPR was unsuccessful.
When police arrived at the residence, they found trash and rotting food strewn throughout the home. There was so much trash in the home that police were unable to fully open the bedroom door where the baby was found, according to court documents viewed by WNDU.
Police said they also found a fly floating inside a baby bottle containing a brown liquid.
The boy was pronounced dead at the hospital.
An autopsy revealed that the baby suffered from “acute fentanyl and methamphetamine intoxication, diaper rash and pulmonary edema.” And the child’s blood culture tested positive for a staph infection,” the agency said.
The family’s 6-year-old and 8-year-old were also taken to the hospital for treatment for fentanyl poisoning, but they survived.
The baby’s father, Miller, had to be given Narcan at the scene before being taken to the hospital due to a drug overdose.
When Miller spoke to officers after receiving medical treatment, he reportedly had “difficulty spelling other children’s names.”
The fentanyl crisis is sweeping the nation, but sadly children are not immune to drug abusers. In recent weeks, a California man has mourn the loss A Florida woman mourned the loss of her 17-month-old son, who died while caring for his mother. arrested North Carolina father after her baby survives overdose turned himself in His 1-year-old son was also treated for fentanyl addiction.
