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Feb 12, 2008 2:59 pm US/Central
ME: Cleburne Toddler Died From Cocaine Overdose
CLEBURNE (CBS 11 News) ―
After more than a month, a North Texas medical examiner has officially determined that cocaine intoxication was the cause of death for a 14-month-old Cleburne boy.
Police say on October 11, 2007 toddler J.C. Luna was left with a babysitter. Less than twenty minutes later, the toddler started biting his tongue and turning purple.
"She said she got scared because blood was coming out of his mouth," said Louisa Gallegos, Rodriguez's sister.
The babysitter, Liliana Rodriguez, called 911 and the boy's mother, Adela Gallegos.
Before paramedics could arrive, Gallegos came to the house and took her son to Wall's Regional Hospital. After life-saving measures were performed, Luna was taken by medical helicopter to Cook Children's Hospital where he was put on life support.
Family members say Luna was sick from the day he was born. He had a neurological disorder, he was partially blind, and he had to be watched at all time. But they say they weren't prepared for what doctors told them about his condition the day after the initial incident.
Hospital officials notified police that Luna had high levels of cocaine in his system.
"The amount of cocaine in the boy's system would have been fatal to an adult," said Sgt. Amy Knoll, Cleburne Police Department.
Officials searched Luna's home and that of his babysitter and no evidence of drugs or drug activity was found.
"She didn't even know why they came here and searched her house until they told us," said Gallegos. "The detective told her they had found cocaine in JC's body."
To date, investigators are still unsure of how cocaine got into the child's system.
While Luna remained hospitalized, Child Protective Services took custody of his brother, who was two-years-old at the time. The child will remain in foster care as the investigation continues.
On October 20th Luna had recuperated enough to be removed from life support and placed in foster care, but was later moved to a hospice center where he died January 5, 2008.
If police do find the person responsible for JC's overdose, they could be charged with capital murder.
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