Two Steelton parents are facing murder charges after police claim their 1-year-old overdosed on fentanyl.
Following the child’s death, Fritz Volcy, 26, and Debra Burnett, 28, were charged with third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of children, respectively.
Authorities responded to a Steelton home on March 7 due to a 1-year-old experiencing cardiac arrest, according to charging documents.
Officers arrived on the scene and attempted chest compressions on the girl, who was cold and stiff. She eventually died.
Officers discovered drug paraphernalia, including ripped tin foil and a little rock-like material, on the floor of the bedroom where the one-year-old and another kid lived.
We discovered other drug paraphernalia and suspected prohibited substances throughout the home, including marijuana and probable fentanyl pills, some of which bore cartoon character stamps.
According to criminal documents, police discovered no baby gate in the bedroom that would have prevented the youngsters from entering the home.
On March 11, an autopsy of the 1-year-old kid found the presence of fentanyl in her body. Acute fentanyl intoxication caused her death, and homicide was the manner of death.
In prosecution documents, police said Volcy and Burnett, the 1-year-old’s biological parents, permitted their children to live “in a home with unrestricted access to controlled substances, demonstrating a conscious disregard for the value of human life.”
Following the inquiry, Volcy was charged with one case of third-degree murder, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, and one count of tampering with evidence. Burnett faces one count of third-degree murder and two counts of endangering the welfare of minors.
In a news statement, Steelton Police announced that they have now detained Volcy on unrelated counts, while they arrested Burnett on Thursday. Court records show she was denied bail.
