Connecticut Man Accused of Assault and Death of Stepdaughter
A man from Connecticut is facing serious charges related to the death of his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Eve Rogers, who was discovered dead at home. Authorities claim that Anthony Federline, 39, ingested a fatal dose of diphenhydramine, which is the main ingredient in Benadryl, before allegedly assaulting her.
Federline was charged in April with first-degree sexual assault along with risk of injury to a minor, following the girl’s death, as reported by Enfield police. Court documents indicate that investigators are currently examining Federline’s social media accounts and family records, including their CVS Caremark and two Amazon accounts, as part of the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Rogers’ death.
Rogers was discovered on March 18. According to the documents, her mother found her partially undressed on the bedroom floor, and there were bodily fluids visible. Authorities conducted a sexual assault kit, revealing that Federline’s DNA was present.
The toxicology report from the coroner revealed a dangerously high level of diphenhydramine in Rogers’ system. The findings indicated 23,000 ng/ml in her blood, significantly above the lethal thresholds of 4,390 ng/ml for children and 14,720 ng/ml for adults. Interestingly, the report suggested that reaching such a concentration would have required ingesting a massive amount of the liquid.
During the investigation, Federline claimed that his communication with his stepdaughter via social media was innocent. Meanwhile, Rogers’ mother mentioned using her Amazon account to purchase various products, including sleep aids and other items, for her daughter. However, investigators found no evidence indicating that the girl had used the sleep aids, despite the high toxicology levels.
In addition, the mother reported finding suspicious online interactions involving her daughter, although the police didn’t uncover any of those during their search. Federline is currently pleading not guilty to the charges of sexual assault and risk of bodily harm. A court appearance is set for later this month.
