Josiah Tobias Fenelus, a 10-month-old infant, died on August 21, 2022, while in the care of his maternal grandmother, Tibina Louissant, at her home in Oakland Park, Broward County, Florida. The child had been staying with the grandmother for two nights. The grandmother reported waking around 5:00 AM to feed the infant, noticing he was congested, and giving him what she described as cough medicine before he went back to sleep. Around 9:30 AM, she found him unresponsive on a pallet of blankets on the floor. Emergency services transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy by the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was cyproheptadine toxicity, with the manner ruled as homicide. Two baby bottles in the grandmother's home tested positive for cyproheptadine, a powerful antihistamine not approved for children under 2, which was found in an illegally imported product used as an appetite stimulant for weight gain. The grandmother was arrested in October 2023 and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The fatality report (2022-251139.pdf) states the cause of death was "Cyproheptadine Toxicity." The NBC Miami article states "the toxicology results show this was essentially an overdose of what looks like cough syrup." The PEOPLE article states the child had "a lethal concentration of the powerful antihistamine cyproheptadine" in his system. Multiple sources confirm this was a drug ingestion/overdose death.
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The encoded portion of the fatality report, when decoded, indicates the case was closed with verified findings of both the death and "inadequate supervision maltreatment(s), with the grandmother as the identified caregiver responsible." This is an official CPS finding of inadequate supervision.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
The fatality report states: "The grandmother did not have a crib or Pack n' Play for the infant, so she made a pallet on the floor in the living room and the grandmother slept next to the infant on the couch. The pallet was made out of blankets and a comforter." A pallet of blankets and a comforter on the floor is an unsafe sleeping environment for a 10-month-old infant.
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The fatality report identifies the maternal grandmother, Tabina Louissant, as the caregiver responsible for the child's death. The PEOPLE article states: "Tibina Louissant was arrested by the Broward Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit" for aggravated manslaughter of the child. The NBC Miami article confirms "According to detectives, Louissant said she was the only person to make Josiah's bottles while in her care." The grandmother, an adult relative, administered the lethal drug to the infant.
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
The fatality report states: "The infant resided with his parents and two older siblings; however, on the two nights preceding the incident, the infant was being cared for by his grandmother at the grandmother's home." While the child's primary residence was with his parents, at the time of the incident the child was staying at and in the care of his maternal grandmother, a relative who was not a parent.
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Multiple sources confirm the grandmother was arrested and charged. The PEOPLE article states: "Tibina Louissant was arrested by the Broward Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit on Friday" and "is facing a charge for aggravated manslaughter of a child." The NBC Miami article confirms: "A judge imposed a $50,000 on Louissant who has since bonded out of jail." The decoded portion of the fatality report also references the grandmother being arrested for aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources. The NBC Miami article states: "Cyproheptadine is not approved for use in children younger than 2." The decoded portion of the fatality report indicates the drug was administered via a product called Apetamin, described as an illegally imported antihistamine used for weight gain and appetite stimulation. The PEOPLE article notes: "two baby bottles that later tested positive for cyproheptadine were found in Louissant's home." The decoded fatality report text reveals the grandmother initially told a detective that a bottle found with yellow-like fluid was "a tea that the grandmother prepared for the infant," rather than acknowledging it contained the drug. Additionally, the NBC Miami article states: "NBC6 spoke to Tobias' mother, who claims she didn't receive the toxicology report until almost a year after his death," and there was approximately a 14-month gap between the child's death (August 2022) and the grandmother's arrest (October 2023). These details raise potential concerns about the accessibility of illegal pharmaceutical products, delayed investigative timelines, and delayed communication with the family.
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