An 8-year-old Kentucky boy who was thought to have died from an allergic reaction to strawberries last month actually died from fentanyl, investigators revealed this week. And his stepfather is now facing criminal charges in the overdose death.
Elementary school student Trey Harris died last month of “fentanyl intoxication,” and authorities announced Wednesday that his 33-year-old stepfather, Antonio Parson, has been charged with manslaughter. According to WFIE.
According to a Madisonville police report, Parson and Harris lived under the same roof and Parson was found to have drugs in the home.
But questions remain about how the child ingested the deadly opioid.
“It has been confirmed that the child’s death was due to a fentanyl overdose. Whether it was intentional or accidental has not yet been confirmed,” said Officer Brandon Hallman. That’s what it means.
“That investigation is still ongoing. So whether he ingested it intentionally, whether he ingested it by accident, how he came into contact with it is unknown and is still under investigation.”
A boy developed a rash after eating a bunch of strawberries at a high school fundraiser, so his family gave him Benadryl and soaked him in a bath before seeking treatment on the night of March 14. Madisonville Police Department said.
The boy’s family brought Harris home from the hospital around 1:30 a.m. the next day, dressed him and put him to bed.
When police tried to wake him hours later to go to school, he was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead, police said.
The Hopkins County Health Department recommended that strawberries purchased at the event be thrown away after Harris was suspected of dying from them, but the federal Food and Drug Administration said this week that the strawberries were non-toxic.
Person identified as boy’s stepfather In the obituary, Police said he was charged with manslaughter on Wednesday after being arrested last month on drug trafficking and illegal gun possession charges.
Harris is remembered as a “fun-loving child who loved to play pranks and laughs, especially on his mother,” according to his obituary.
“Trey loved helping people, so he dreamed of becoming a police officer when he grew up,” the obi reads.
with post wire
