A grandmother in Florida has been arrested for allegedly killing her 11-month-old grandson by giving him an overdose of prescription-strength cough syrup. Tibina Louissant has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the tragic death of Josiah Fenelus. The investigation revealed that the infant had a lethal concentration of the antihistamine cyproheptadine in his body.
A 53-year-old grandmother from Florida was arrested last week for allegedly killing her 11-month-old grandson over a year ago. Tibina Louissant is accused of overdosing the infant with prescription-strength cough syrup, resulting in his tragic death. The arrest comes after an extensive investigation by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred on August 21, 2022, when authorities responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child at Louissant’s residence in Oakland Park. Despite life-saving efforts by first responders and paramedics, the infant, identified as Josiah Fenelus, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Broward Health Medical Center.
Following the child’s death, detectives from the BSO homicide unit and crime scene investigators took over the case. Through their investigation, they discovered that Josiah’s family had left him in Louissant’s care over the weekend. During this time, the child, who had no known medical problems, suddenly became unresponsive.
An autopsy conducted by the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Josiah had a lethal concentration of the antihistamine cyproheptadine in his body. Further testing confirmed that two baby bottles found in Louissant’s home tested positive for cyproheptadine. The final autopsy report concluded that Josiah’s cause of death was cyproheptadine toxicity, ruling it a homicide.
The BSO issued a statement in September, echoing a warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the illegal use of cyproheptadine. The drug, which is only legal with a prescription, can cause severe complications and even death when used improperly. It is also not approved for use in children under the age of 2.
Louissant admitted to being the only person to make Josiah’s bottles while in her care, leading investigators to believe she was responsible for his death. She was subsequently booked into the Broward County Main Jail but was released after posting a bond of $50,000. As a condition of her release, she is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with individuals under the age of 18.
The arrest of Tibina Louissant brings some closure to the tragic case of Josiah Fenelus’ death. The investigation highlights the importance of proper medication usage and the need for vigilance when caring for young children..