Ohio Father Sentenced In Fentanyl Overdose Death Of 18-Month-Old Son

A man in Ohio was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with the fentanyl-overdose death of his 18-month-old son.

The police and medics arrived at a home in South Fairmount, Cincinnati, on Oct.15, 2019, after receiving information of an unresponsive child. The officers found the baby, later identified as Brayden Foggie, lying unconscious on his bed and pronounced him dead. They, however, did not find any evidence of abuse or trauma, WKRC reported.

A toxicology test was conducted, which found extremely high levels of fentanyl in the toddler’s system. Fentanyl was also found on a plastic cup that was collected from the home as evidence.

Investigators at the time said they believed the child’s father, identified as Charles Foggie, was likely a drug dealer who made drugs, placed it in the cup and left it within the reach of the child. They believed the toddler may have taken the cup, assuming it to be a sipper cup, and ingested fentanyl.

Charles was taken into custody in January 2020 and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, NBC-affiliated television station WLWT reported.

The man was already on probation in connection with a high-speed car chase when the incident took place.

Charles spent over 400 days in prison before he pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2020. On Monday, he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and got a 457 days credit for time served in prison, WKRC reported.

In a similar incident last year, a California mother was charged with murder after her toddler son died of a fentanyl overdose. Authorities arrived at a house after receiving information about an unresponsive child. Paramedics performed CPR on the 2-year-old boy but couldn’t revive him. The officers found several items of drug paraphernalia in the room, including 13 grams of powdered fentanyl. The woman was taken into custody after an autopsy concluded the boy died due to acute fentanyl toxicity. The woman was also charged with felony child abuse, felony possession of fentanyl to sell, willful harm causing injury and great bodily injury resulting in brain damage and paralysis.