2 Long Island men indicted in near-deadly fentanyl poisoning of infant
SUFFOLK COUNTY, New York (WABC) -- Two men from Long Island were indicted Monday in connection to the near-fatal fentanyl overdose of an infant back in January.
Robert Mauro, 39, and a 35-year-old man from Lake Grove, who was not identified, were both indicted by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.
Officers were called to the 35-year-old man's Colmar Avenue home back on Jan. 13 following reports of an unresponsive infant. When they arrived, police found an 11-month-old boy who described as having turned blue and having trouble breathing.
Video released on Monday showed first responders saving the baby's life after it was unresponsive for half and hour.
Once at the hospital, the child was diagnosed with acute fentanyl poisoning.
Mauro allegedly sold the fentanyl to the 35-year-old man just four days earlier, investigators said.
"It is heartbreaking to see a defenseless and innocent child become yet another casualty of a deadly illegal drug. What is more outrageous is that the child's father is alleged to have placed his own son in close proximity to such poison," said District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
Authorities say that two weeks after the infant nearly died from ingesting fentanyl, Mauro was alleged to have sold the same drugs to a 31-year-old woman from Patchogue who died from an overdose.
An investigation showed the woman, who died on Jan. 29, allegedly purchased the fentanyl from Mauro days earlier based on a review of her phone data. Mauro's phone also allegedly showed that he communicated with the woman on the day that she overdosed.
"Senseless and tragic results such as these will continue to occur in our communities until the legislature enacts real drug reform," Tierney said.
Mauro was indicted for manslaughter, criminal sale of a controlled substance, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminally using drug paraphernalia.
The 35-year-old man was indicted for assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a controlled substance in connection to the child's overdose.
Both men were arraigned on the indictment and remanded.
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