Two different fathers in Chester County have been charged in the deaths of their infants, District Attorney Tom Hogan announced Thursday.
Jamal Bailey, 41, of Downingtown, was charged with homicide for allegedly giving his young child the anti-psychotic medication Seroquel. William Gardner, 27, of Coatesville, is facing homicide charges for inflicting deadly head trauma on his 4-month-old son, according to court documents.
Both men were the primary caretakers for their children when the bodies were found, officials said.
"It is a tragedy when any child dies," Hogan said. "But when children die at the hands of the people who are supposed to care for them and protect them, it is an outrage."
In April, 10-month-old Lynail Bailey was found unresponsive with greenish mucus coming from her nose and mouth. She later died at the hospital. An autopsy revealed that she died from Seroquel intoxication. Her father denied any wrongdoing, but officials concluded someone had been giving the little girl medication for at least 30 days prior to her death, officials said.
She did not have a prescription for the anti-psychotic. The medication is not approved by the FDA for minors.
When authorities found 4-month-old Ayden Gardner lying on a sofa in December 2016, he was blue and cold to the touch, officials said. An autopsy revealed the baby had more than 15 rib fractures, and bruises on his spine and scalp. He had also suffered from acute head trauma, according to his autopsy. Additional injuries suggested the baby had been consistently abused for at least three months.
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“Due to their ages, the children could not have verbally reported the abuse to other family members,” Hogan said. “Now the children are dead. They will never be able to tell their stories.”
