A Florida grandmother has been arrested in connection with the tragic death of an 11-month-old child in August 2022.
Tibina Louissant was taken into custody by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, as detailed in a warrant statement.
The warrant alleges that Louissant was responsible for her grandson Josiah Fenelus during the weekend of the incident.
Law enforcement officers responded to a home in Oakland Park, Florida, on the morning of August 21, 2022, after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant. Tragically, Josiah was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
An investigation was initiated, and in October 2022, the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the child had a “lethal concentration of the powerful antihistamine cyproheptadine” in his system, as stated in the warrant. Cyproheptadine, a prescription-only antihistamine, can also be used for appetite control and aesthetic purposes, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Toxicology tests conducted earlier this year confirmed the presence of cyproheptadine in baby bottles found in Louissant’s home. Following a final autopsy in August, the manner of Josiah’s death was classified as a homicide, with “cyproheptadine toxicity” listed as the cause.
Louissant, who stated that she was the sole caregiver for Josiah, is now facing charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
She was released on bond on Saturday, with Broward County Court Records indicating a bond amount of $50,000, and as of Monday afternoon, no attorney name was listed.
Back in July this year, ShineMyCrown reported that a Florida teenage mother was charged with aggravated manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance.
This was after it was discovered that she laced her 9-month-old infant’s baby bottle with fentanyl before putting him down for sleep, authorities said.
According to Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper, deputies responded to a call Monday when the baby was found not breathing and without a pulse.
Deputies attempted to revive the baby but were unsuccessful so they transported him to a local Jacksonville hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Originally, the mother said she didn’t know what happened. She put the baby to sleep and just couldn’t wake him up,” Leeper said.
