On the evening of January 13, 2023, 7-month-old Zhuri Sade Bogle was left in the care of her maternal grandmother, Barbara Ann Dunlap-Toombs, and the grandmother's friend, David Poindexter, at a home on Chaske Street in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania. The child was put to bed before her parents, Mercedes Williams and Barrington Bogle Jr., arrived home that evening. The following morning, on January 14, 2023, first responders were called to the home around 6:45 a.m. and found the child's father performing CPR on Zhuri, who was unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was acute fentanyl toxicity. Both Poindexter and Dunlap-Toombs were subsequently arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person. The family had no prior child welfare involvement.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The fatality report (Q2.2023-2.pdf) states "an autopsy revealed the child died as a result of illegal substance toxicity." The People.com article specifies "An autopsy performed by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner determined the infant died of 'acute fentanyl toxicity.'" The WTAE article confirms "Zhuri died of acute fentanyl toxicity." The child died from drug exposure/poisoning.
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)?
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?
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)?
The WTAE article states that Zhuri was "in the care of her grandmother, Barbara Ann Dunlap-Toombs, and her grandmother's friend, David Poindexter, the evening before her death." Poindexter, a male friend of the grandmother/caregiver, "was later arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person." He was directly involved in the child's death as a male friend of the caregiver.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The fatality report (Q2.2023-2.pdf) states that Allegheny County OFC "indicated the report on May 22, 2023, naming the victim child's maternal grandmother as the perpetrator." The WTAE article identifies her as "Barbara Ann Dunlap-Toombs" and notes she was charged with "involuntary manslaughter" and "recklessly endangering another person." The grandmother, an adult relative, was directly involved in the child's death.
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)?
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?
The WTAE article states: "Poindexter was later arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person. A warrant was also issued for Dunlap-Toombs on similar charges. Police said she turned herself in to sheriff's deputies on Wednesday." The fatality report also notes that "the maternal grandmother had been criminally charged." Both caregivers were arrested and charged in connection with the child's death.
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?
The child died of acute fentanyl toxicity while in the care of the maternal grandmother and her friend. The fatality report (Q2.2023-2.pdf) describes the death as a result of "illegal substance toxicity" and classifies it as "serious physical neglect," naming the grandmother as the perpetrator. The WTAE article reports both caregivers were charged with involuntary manslaughter. The presence of fentanyl in the caregiving environment strongly implies substance use by the caregiver(s), though no source explicitly states the grandmother or her friend were using drugs.
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