Baby dies from starvation after parents overdose in home

The death of a 5-month-old Pennsylvania baby was ruled as a homicide on Wednesday after detectives determined her parents overdosed on fentanyl, a synthetic opiod pain drug.

WJAC-TV reports that Summer Chambers’ autopsy concluded that baby passed away from severe dehydration and malnutrition. She passed away on December 20, around five days after her parents overdosed and died in their Johnstown home.

According to Johnstown police, the baby’s parents, Jason Chambers, 27, and Chelsea Cardaro, 19, both consumed fatal overdoses of fentanyl, and both passed away in the home on December 22. Detectives, who also found heroin in the home, stated that the couple “appear to have been dead for seven days,” while the infant lived around three or four more days before passing away.

“Based on prior history, I think if one of the parents knew the other one was down, they would have called for help for the other one, so we do think they died close in time,” Johnstown police Capt. Chad Miller said.

Chambers was over four times the legal limit for fentanyl, while Chelsea was over two times the legal legal limit.

[Photo: Facebook]

James Grant, a family friend, discovered the family after he hadn’t heard from them in several days. Worried, he broke through a kitchen window and entered the home. He told local reports that it doesn’t seem real to him.

“It was hard going in there and being the one to see them like that. It still doesn’t kind of seem real.”

Detectives stated that there was a “history of drug abuse” within the home. In November, Chambers overdosed and was revived with Narcan once authorities arrived. On December 7,  Children and Youth Services visited the home for a welfare check on baby Summer.

[Feature Photo: Facebook]