A 1-year-old child who was found strapped into a car seat in a house in Tennessee starved to death after his mother died of a drug overdose, an autopsy has revealed. The grim discovery was made when authorities entered the home to find the 32-year-old woman and her infant son dead. An autopsy, carried out four months after the deaths, has now found that the mother died of an accidental overdose and her 1-year-old son died of starvation and dehydration.
Spears’ surviving 3-year-old was also discovered and treated at a local hospital as a precautionary measure, Sheriff’s Office Major Tim Bailey said.
Police said there were no hints to indicate any foul play.
Davidson County Assistant Medical Examiner Emily Dennison ruled both deaths accidental, stating the mother’s cause of death to be acute combined drug toxicity from methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Her son, who was found strapped inside his car seat, died due to starvation and dehydration.
According to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the residence after a probation officer “making a home visit observed an obvious medical emergency.”
The probation officer had visited the home and found the front door locked, which prompted her to look in a window. She dialed 911 after seeing the 3-year-old child running around inside, while the mother was lying on the floor motionless.
According to the medical examiner, Spears had been dead for several days.
Spears’ young son was found strapped in his car seat on the floor of a bedroom in the house.
“It appeared the decedent’s sister tried to take care of the decedent for several days,” the autopsy stated.