On October 31, 2023, one-year-old Kaiden McCullough was found unresponsive by his mother, Wilma Faye Presley, while she was shopping with him at a Walmart in south Wichita, Kansas. His father, Brijin McCullough, had remained in the car. The mother initially thought the child was sleeping when they entered the store. First responders were called around 9:53 p.m. and attempted to resuscitate the child, who was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death was fentanyl overdose, ruled accidental, with no medical fentanyl administered during resuscitation. Kaiden had been removed from his parents' care at birth after testing positive for methamphetamine and had been living with his maternal aunt, but was very recently returned to his mother's custody before his death. Both parents were subsequently arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder; the father was also found in possession of fentanyl and cocaine on unrelated drug charges.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The AOL article states: "an autopsy showed he died of a fentanyl overdose" and "The cause of death was ruled accidental from fentanyl." This clearly documents a child drug overdose.
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)?
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)?
The AOL article quotes the coroner: "Kaiden had been residing with (his) maternal aunt, as he was removed from his parents' care at birth when he tested positive for methamphetamine." Testing positive for methamphetamine at birth is clear evidence of prenatal substance exposure.
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?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The KAKE article identifies Brijin McCullough as "the father" who "was originally booked on Jan. 5 on unrelated charges before suspicion of first-degree murder was added to his list of charges." The AOL article further details that McCullough's drugs included fentanyl and cocaine, directly relevant to the child's cause of death (fentanyl overdose).
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The KAKE article identifies Wilma Faye Presley as "the child's mother" who "was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder and other unrelated charges." The AOL article confirms she was the one who took the child into the Walmart and reported him unresponsive.
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)
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)?
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)?
The AOL article quotes the coroner stating the child "was removed from his parents' care at birth when he tested positive for methamphetamine." Removal from parents' care at birth constitutes a child protection action and strongly indicates prior CPS involvement.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
The AOL article quotes the coroner: "Kaiden had been residing with (his) maternal aunt, as he was removed from his parents' care at birth when he tested positive for methamphetamine, but was very recently returned to his mother's care." Being removed from parents' care at birth and placed with a maternal aunt strongly implies formal child welfare/kinship foster care involvement, though the text does not explicitly use the term "foster care." At the time of the incident the child had already been returned to the mother, so this is a history of foster/kinship care, not current placement.
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?
Both parents were arrested in connection with the child's death. The KAKE article states: "31-year-old Brijin McCullough and 36-year-old Wilma Faye Presley were booked into jail in connection to the death of their one-year-old boy." McCullough had "suspicion of first-degree murder" added to his charges, and Presley "was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder."
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?
The AOL article details extensive prior criminal history for the father: "McCullough also has convictions for aggravated burglary, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, a drug charge and theft, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records. All of those convictions happened in Sedgwick County. He was last released from prison in February 2023." Additionally, McCullough was described as being "on parole" and was "arrested Jan. 5 and has been charged in that case with multiple counts of possession of opiates, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, criminal possession of a handgun, fleeing or eluding officers." These prior convictions and parole status predate the child's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The AOL article extensively documents parental substance use. The father McCullough was "charged in that case with multiple counts of possession of opiates, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant" and "the drugs include fentanyl and cocaine." The mother Presley "was also arrested on drug charges." The coroner's note that the child "tested positive for methamphetamine" at birth also implies maternal substance use during pregnancy.
Notable Details
The AOL article provides important child welfare system context. The coroner noted: "Kaiden had been residing with (his) maternal aunt, as he was removed from his parents' care at birth when he tested positive for methamphetamine, but was very recently returned to his mother's care." This indicates a potential child welfare system failure: the child was removed from parents at birth due to prenatal drug exposure, placed in kinship care with a maternal aunt, and then returned to the mother's custody shortly before his death from a fentanyl overdose. The decision to reunify the child with parents who had ongoing drug involvement (the father was on parole and later arrested with fentanyl and cocaine; the mother was also arrested on drug charges) raises significant questions about the reunification decision. Additionally, Kaiden's obituary says he had seven brothers and sisters, and neither parent cooperated with the medical investigator after the child's death.
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