4-Month-Old Baby Killed by Benadryl at Daycare

Police are investigating the death of Adam Seagull as a homicide
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 22, 2016 4:57 PM CDT
4-Month-Old Baby Killed by Benadryl at Daycare
   (Shutterstock)

The death of a 4-month-old Connecticut boy in March has been ruled a homicide after "toxic levels" of Benadryl were found in his system, Fox 61 reports. According to the Fairfield Citizen, Carol Cardillo, who runs a home daycare, gave Adam Seagull a bottle, then put him down for a nap March 22. She called 911 three hours later when she couldn't wake the baby. It was revealed following Adam's death that Cardillo had been running the daycare without a license for 11 years. Adam had no apparent signs of trauma and hadn't been sick when he died, leading investigators to originally believe he died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, People reports.

But a toxicology report found elevated levels of Benadryl in Adam's system. The FDA warns against giving the medication to children under 2 years old as there is a high risk of overdose. Fairfield police chief Gary MacNamara calls Adam's death a "parent's worst nightmare." No charges have been filed, but MacNamara says that will change. "The consumption of the medication wasn't accidental," MacNamara tells People. “I am not saying there was intent to kill the baby, but as a result of that Benadryl, this child died.” Police are trying to figure out who gave Adam Benadryl and why. Cardillo's daycare has been shut down. (Last month, a babysitter was charged with murder after an infant was killed with a dose of Benadryl.)

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