Parents Charged With 4-Year-Old's Overdose

[Rhino]

Parents Charged With Daughter's ADHD Drug Overdose Death

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

BROCKTON, Mass. — A Weymouth couple were arrested Monday and charged in the drug overdose death of their 4-year-old daughter, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced.

Michael Riley, 34, and his wife, Carolyn Riley, 32, will be arraigned Tuesday in Hingham District Court. They face first degree murder charges for what prosecutors call an "intentional overdose" of their 4-year-old daughter, Rebecca Riley.

In December, police officers responded to the couple's former home in Hull where they found Rebecca Riley dead on the floor in the master bedroom.....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,250482,00.html

[Lubbock]

I'm willing to bet that it was the OTC cough syrup that pushed her over the edge and killed her.

" . . . Valproic Acid, also known as Depakote, Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant in over-the-counter medicines, and the antihistamine, Chlorpheniramine, as well as Seroquel to treat bipolar disorder. . . . "

I question the First Degree charge --prosecutors over-charge as a matter of course in order to plea bargain, but the child's death is certainly negligence.