Steven Becker, an 8-month-old male, died on December 8, 2022, in Menallen Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, from asphyxia due to overlay while co-sleeping with his parents, Ashley Ackerman and Brian Becker. The family had traveled from Florida to Pennsylvania by train the previous day and was staying at a friend's residence. Both parents were under the influence of multiple drugs, including fentanyl and methadone, at the time of the child's death. Drug paraphernalia was found on the bed. The mother discovered the child deceased at approximately 3:30 a.m. when she woke to go to a methadone clinic, finding the baby stuck between a pillow and the father's right shoulder. Brian Becker was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and sentenced to 5-10 years in prison, while Ashley Ackerman pleaded guilty and received four years of probation in exchange for testifying against Becker. Two other children in the home were placed in foster care following the incident.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or 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)?
Both parents were heavily impaired by multiple substances while responsible for their infant. The fatality report states they "were under the influence of substances at the time of the incident." Blood tests confirmed Ackerman had methadone, EDDP, fentanyl, and norfentanyl, while Becker had amphetamine, methamphetamine, methadone, fentanyl, norfentanyl, and THC in his system (Document 3). Their drug-impaired state rendered them unable to appropriately supervise or monitor their child during co-sleeping.
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?
Multiple sources describe an unsafe sleeping environment. The fatality report (Document 1) states the parents "were under the influence of substances at the time of the incident and co-slept with the child." The fox43 article (Document 3) states "Police said both Ackerman and Becker appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance and suspected narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found on the bed." The child was found "stuck between the pillow and Becker's right shoulder" after being placed "near the foot of the bed" while parents co-slept under the influence of drugs.
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report (Document 1) names "the victim child's mother and father as the perpetrators." Document 3 identifies Brian Becker as the father, stating he was "convicted in April of several charges in connection to the death of his infant child." The child's name, Steven Becker, shares the father's surname, confirming biological parentage. The father was co-sleeping with the child when the overlay death occurred.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report (Document 1) names "the victim child's mother and father as the perpetrators." Document 3 identifies Ashley Ackerman as "The child's mother" who "pleaded guilty in April to endangering the welfare of a child." She was co-sleeping with the child and the father at the time of the incident.
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)?
While the Pennsylvania fatality report (Document 1) states "The family had no prior documented child welfare involvement," the fox43 article (Document 3) references Florida DCF records, and the encoded text in the Gettysburg Times article (Document 2) details that "Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) records from February 2020 to March 2022 allegedly showed 'Ackerman had been involved with DCF several time for concerns over drug use and general care issues with her children,' with Becker 'having been interviewed or asked questions.'" This constitutes prior child protection history for this family, albeit in another state.
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?
Both parents were charged. The Gettysburg Times (Document 2) states "Ashley Ackerman, 20, and Brian Becker, 37, both of York, were each charged with three felony counts of endangering a child's welfare." The fox43 article (Document 3) confirms Brian Becker "was sentenced to a prison term of 5-10 years" and Ashley Ackerman "pleaded guilty in April to endangering the welfare of a child in exchange for four years of probation."
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?
Substance use by both parents is extensively documented across all sources. The fatality report (Document 1) states the parents "were under the influence of substances at the time of the incident." The fox43 article (Document 3) confirms "Ackerman and Becker were under the influence of drugs purchased in Philadelphia at the time of Steven Becker's death" and provides blood test results showing multiple substances in both parents. The Gettysburg Times (Document 2) further details the parents' long history of drug use, methadone clinic involvement, and cell phone evidence showing they "had been using drugs daily."
Notable Details
Several substantive details emerge from the documents. First, there is a significant cross-jurisdictional child welfare information gap: the Pennsylvania fatality report states "The family had no prior documented child welfare involvement," yet Florida DCF records from 2020-2022 showed Ackerman had multiple involvements for drug use and care concerns. Second, cell phone messages revealed the parents were aware of the danger their drug use posed to their children, as they allegedly "had been using drugs daily" and were concerned about "losing their children to DCF due to their drug use." Third, the mother deliberately took fentanyl before boarding the train because she knew she would not have methadone during travel. Fourth, there was a notable sentencing disparity: the father received 5-10 years in prison after a jury conviction, while the mother received four years of probation through a plea deal that included testifying against the father.
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