ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The mother and father of a 22-month-old boy who authorities say died of fentanyl poisoning have been charged with third-degree murder.
Jorge Suarez-Santiago, 32, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Jayleen Rivas-Rodriguez, 35, of Allentown, have had warrants issued for their arrest, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said in a release.
The release said that on April 5, 2021, Allentown Police were called to St. Luke’s-Sacred Heart Hospital for a report of a toddler who was not breathing.
Suarez-Santiago and Rivas-Rodriguez are the parents of Johansy and "had a duty of care, protection and support for their child."Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan in a release
The boy, Johansy Suarez-Rivas, was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
Johansy died from fentanyl toxicity and the amount of fentanyl in his heart blood, authorities said.
His death was ruled accidental by the Lehigh County Coroner.
A forensic pathologist said Johansy died the morning or noontime the day he was taken to the hospital.
Holihan's release said Suarez-Santiago and Rivas-Rodriguez are the parents of Johansy and "had a duty of care, protection and
support for their child."
Risk 'consciously disregarded'
An affidavit of probable cause in the charges gives this account:
The investigation revealed both Suarez-Santiago and Rivas-Rodriguez had used heroin in the hours before their son was declared dead.
Both parents "consciously disregarded the high risk that their reckless use and handling of illegal narcotics was likely to cause death or serious bodily injury to their child."Police affidavit
Suarez-Santiago was alone with his son while Rivas-Rodriguez left their apartment at 106 N. 8th St. for several hours. Rivas-Rodriguez left their son in the care of Suarez-Santiago despite knowing he was visibly intoxicated.
Rivas-Rodriguez also provided Suarez-Santiago heroin prior to leaving Johansy in his care that day.
Rivas-Rodriguez discovered the toddler unresponsive after she returned home after several hours.
The investigation revealed that Johansy was exposed to and ingested a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Both parents "consciously disregarded the high risk that their reckless use and handling of illegal narcotics was likely to cause death or serious bodily injury to their child," the affidavit says.
The case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Joseph Beiner and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and will be prosecuted by District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Chief Deputy District Attorney Sara A. Moyer.
