The mother of a two-year-old boy and her boyfriend have been charged with involuntary manslaughter after the youngster died of a prescription drug overdose.
Tessa Gadd, 24, and John Hines, 33, were arrested and charged after toddler Lorenzo Ealom died of acute intoxication from suboxone – used to help addicts wean off heroin, Cleveland.com reported.
Court documents say the child also had ‘indications of prior cocaine ingestion’, and a high dose of Benadryl in his system when he died.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Mother-of-two Tessa Gadd (pictured) was arrested and charged over the prescription drug overdose of her two-year-old son Lorenzo
Gadd’s boyfriend, John Hines (pictured) was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Police allege he brought illegally obtained Suboxone to Gadd’s home, where Lorenzo was able to access it
Lorenzo was sent to daycare afterwards, after neither Gadd or Hines thought to call an ambulance
Neither Gadd or Hines called an ambulance after Lorenzo ingested the drugs. Instead, the toddler was taken to daycare.
Later, an ambulance was called, and Lorenzo was taken to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.
The Suboxone was illegally obtained by Hines, court documents show, and he brought it with him to Gadd’s home, where the young boy got his hands on it.
Records show Gadd knew the drug was at her house, but police say the mother-of-two later told officers she did not know what had happened.
Last year, Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services were called in regards to the welfare of the children at the home, but an investigation was closed with no action taken, Cleveland 19 reported.
The two-year-old was eventually taken to hospital at 3.30am, where he died soon after
Gadd had another child, who was removed from her care and placed into the custody of a relative
Since Cleveland Police opened a homicide investigation, the case was reopened and Lorenzo’s sibling was removed from Ms Gadd’s care.
The child is now in the custody of a relative.
Ms Gadd and Mr Hines are currently in Cleveland City Jail ahead of their first appearance in court.
A fundraiser set up by a family friend last month said Lorenzo was ‘loved by many, especially his mom Tessa Gadd and grandmother Sharon Dailey’.
‘In 2 short years on earth he blessed our lives and now he will forever be our angel,’ the page read.
Lorenzo’s uncle, Laroy Ealom, told Cleveland.com the boy’s father called his son often from jail, and would sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to him.
‘Now he just calls and cries,’ Mr Ealom said. ‘He doesn’t even talk.’
Lorenzo’s uncle said the boy’s father would often call to sing to his child, but now he just calls and cries
Ms Gadd and Mr Hines are currently in Cleveland City Jail ahead of their first appearance in court