What to Know
- A New Jersey woman is facing charges in connection to the overdose death of her 11-month-old daughter last month, local prosecutors announced.
- The charges stem from an incident that took place on Aug. 25. It was on that day that Heather Cupano brought her baby daughter to Saint Peter's University Hospital and reported that her daughter had ingested heroin.
- Prosecutors allege that the child showed signs of heroin intoxication and that Cupano administered Narcan. However, she allegedly waited more than 48 hours before getting medical treatment for her child. The child died on Sept. 8 as a result of the overdose.
A New Jersey woman is facing charges in connection to the overdose death of her 11-month-old daughter last month, local prosecutors announced.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Michael Biennas of the Monroe Police Department announced Tuesday that Heather Cupano, 36 and of Monroe, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated manslaughter, and witness tampering.
Attorney information was not immediately known.
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The charges stem from an incident that took place on Aug. 25. It was on that day that Cupano brought her baby daughter to Saint Peter's University Hospital and reported that her daughter had ingested heroin.
A subsequent investigation into the incident by the Monroe Township Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit revealed that the 11-month-old tested positive for fentanyl and was in critical condition. The day after bringing her daughter to the hospital, Cupano was arrested and charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor's office said.
This investigation also revealed that Cupano allegedly tried to influence a witness' statement to authorities.
News
Days later, this past Friday, the 11-month-old baby died and on Saturday Cupano was additionally charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, and third-degree witness tampering.
Prosecutors allege that the child showed signs of heroin intoxication and that Cupano administered Narcan. However, she allegedly waited more than 48 hours before getting medical treatment for her child.
Prosecutors say that Narcan is a temporary relief and does not remove the effects of heroin forever. Although Narcan should be administered immediately whenever there is a suspected overdose, it should be followed by medical attention since the effects of Narcan are temporary and an overdose death can still occur even when the patient seems fine.
The investigation is ongoing.
