14-Month-Old Pennsylvania Girl Suffocates To Death After Father Rolls Onto Her In Bed While High On Drugs

A Pennsylvania toddler died of suffocation after her father rolled onto her in bed while high on drugs. The man was charged with the death Tuesday (May 5).

According to local reports, on Feb.18, a police officer and paramedics arrived at a home after receiving a report from 27-year-old Dylan M. Staines that his 14-month-old daughter was unconscious and not breathing. They found the man administering CPR on the toddler who was lying on the floor. The paramedics tried to revive the child using an automated external defibrillator. The toddler was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Following the child’s death, her unidentified mother was interviewed. She told the investigators that the toddler was alone in the bed with Staines for a few minutes. When the mother returned to the room, she found the victim lying face down underneath the blanket.

The investigators then arrived at the home to interview the father. The officers suspected that the man was under the influence of a controlled substance as his pupils looked like “pin holes.” They also got a strong smell of marijuana inside the home. Following this, blood samples were collected from the man. The samples tested positive for fentanyl, norfentanyl and THC. A search warrant was also executed at the home during which marijuana, packaging material and other drug paraphernalia were seized from the residence.

An autopsy performed on the child concluded that she died of “mechanical asphyxia due to overlay.” Following this the manner of death was ruled homicide and it was concluded that the man rolled onto the child while the two were sleeping.

The accused appeared before a court Tuesday and was charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and drug-related offenses. He was being held at the Berks County Prison on a $150,000 bail.

The incident comes months after a man was arrested for smothering his newborn son to death with a pillow at their New York home. Teshawn Watkins called 911 and claimed that his son was found unresponsive in his bassinet. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigation revealed that the boy was smothered to death using a pillow. Watkins was charged with murder and manslaughter.