Allegheny County police on Tuesday charged a Swissvale woman with child endangerment and assault in connection with an incident in which an infant suffered organ failure after a Tylenol overdose.
The child, who was 19 months old at the time of the incident, was admitted to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Oct. 29 and had to be placed on life support, according to Lt. Mike O’Keefe.
Lavaughn Moman, 31, was the child’s caretaker that night, and police said she had no explanation for the infant’s dire condition.
A toxicology test showed the child was suffering from an acetaminophen overdose, O’Keefe said, noting that Tylenol is the best-known over the counter acetaminophen product.
He said the child had taken the equivalent of several bottles of liquid acetaminophen, or several dozen extra-strength tablets.
The overdose sparked multi-system organ failure. The child is still recovering, O’Keefe said.
Moman was the only person watching over the child at the time the drugs would have been ingested, police said. She was watching the child overnight.
Moman is charged with five counts of child endangerment and one count of aggravated assault. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6 in front of District Judge Thomas Caulfield.
