Springdale mother accused of manslaughter in methadone death of 5-year-old daughter
A mother in Springdale is facing charges in the death of her 5-year-old daughter, who died in June of methadone toxicity.
Samantha McMunn, 34, of Springdale was charged by Allegheny County Police on Thursday with felony counts of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of children.
McMunn surrendered to authorities Friday morning, according to county police, who investigated the child’s death at the request of Springdale police.
McMunn has not yet been arraigned on the charges, according to the court docket.
Springdale police and paramedics responding to a distress call at 8:44 a.m. June 13 in the 40 block of Duquesne Court found the girl unresponsive. She was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she was pronounced dead a short time later, according to investigators.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that Diem McMunn-Gereshenski, 5, died of methadone toxicity and ruled the death an accident.
McMunn told investigators it was possible her child discovered methadone that she had in the house, according to court documents.
Police said McMunn was undergoing drug rehabilitation and required a daily dose of methadone and that she stored the medication in syringes typically used to administer medicine by mouth to babies.
Investigators said they found a number of the baby-style syringes inside the home that tested positive for methadone.
Methadone is a synthetic narcotic used to treat opioid addiction, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
It comes in tablet form, an injectable liquid or an oral solution, which typically is a fruit-flavored liquid, according to the government.
After the girl died, family members set up a GoFundMe account seeking donations to help with her funeral and other expenses. In the post, they noted the deceased girl was suffering from medical issues that she had since birth.
The fundraiser set a goal of $5,000 and raised $5,821 from 111 donations as of Aug. 8.
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