INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana man was found guilty of neglect after his 3-year-old son ingested drugs while sleeping in bed.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced Wednesday, Oct. 9 that Tyrone Boyd was found guilty of neglect of a dependent resulting in death after a two-day trial.
An IMPD detective was dispatched to an apartment in the 6000 block of Newberry Road, near Fall Creek Road and Shadeland Avenue, on reports of an unresponsive 3-year-old on Aug. 22, 2020. The child was later taken to Riley Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The detective spoke with Boyd, who was the child's father, at the hospital. Boyd told police he and his son fell asleep on the bed and when he woke up, he noticed his child was "facedown and not breathing."
Police said they searched the apartment and found drugs on the bed.
Toxicology reports showed the young boy had fentanyl, dextromethorphan and norfentanyl in his system.
“The home is supposed to be a safe place for our youth and the defendant’s negligence resulted in the most tragic of outcomes,” Mears said in a statement. “We hope that this serves a reminder to do better for our children and that we will not tolerate those that jeopardize their safety.”
Online court records indicate Boyd's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
