Daltin Lee Miller, a 15-month-old boy, was found unresponsive in his parents' bedroom at their Ocala, Florida home on March 1, 2024, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was acute toxicity from the combined effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine, which were found in the child's blood and liver, indicating the toddler had ingested the drugs. The child had been born with drugs in his system in November 2022 and was removed from his parents' custody shortly after birth due to the mother's substance abuse. After spending time in relative and foster care placements, the child was reunified with his biological father, Daniel Miller, on February 9, 2024, under a court order stipulating that the mother, Kelli Starling, was not permitted to reside in or come to the home due to her continued drug use. Starling violated this order and returned to the home, and fentanyl and drug paraphernalia were found within easy reach of the toddler in the bedroom where he died. Both parents were arrested on May 1, 2024, and charged with homicide and aggravated child manslaughter; the father was additionally found with fentanyl in his pocket at the time of his arrest.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Multiple sources explicitly confirm the child died from drug ingestion. The fox35orlando.com article states: "the baby had an overdose after eating fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine." The wesh.com article quotes the sheriff: "This was all in the victim's blood and liver indicating the child had eaten these drugs." The fatality report (partially corrupted) references cause of death as "Acute toxicity due to the combined effects of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine and Xylazine."
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 fatality report's investigation was closed with verified findings of "Inadequate Supervision" as to the child. The fox35orlando.com article describes drugs and paraphernalia found within "easy reach of a curious toddler," and the child ingested fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine while in the parents' care, indicating a failure of 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?
The fatality report describes the child as "having trouble sleeping, had a runny nose, and was struggling to breathe" and that the mother reported "he was up most of the night wheezing and struggling to breathe." The child exhibited these symptoms for many hours (from overnight through the next afternoon) without the parents seeking any medical attention. While the cause of death was ultimately drug ingestion rather than the respiratory distress itself, the parents' failure to seek medical care for a child in prolonged respiratory distress implies 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)?
Multiple sources confirm the child was born with drugs in his system. The fox35orlando.com article quotes Lt. Bloom: "he was born with drugs already in his system." The clickorlando.com article states: "Daltin was born with fentanyl in his system." The fatality report references the child's removal from parents in December 2022 "due to verified findings of substance misuse/illicit drugs by the mother when the child was born."
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 child "was sleeping in between the parents in their bed" — bed-sharing/co-sleeping, which is an unsafe sleeping environment for a toddler. Additionally, the fox35orlando.com article notes fentanyl and drug paraphernalia were found "nearby" and within "easy reach of a curious toddler" in the bedroom where the child was found.
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Daniel Miller (48 years old) as the father, and he was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. The fox35orlando.com article confirms: "Daniel Miller, 48... charged with homicide - aggravated child manslaughter." He was the biological father who had been granted custody of the child on February 9, 2024.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Kelli Starling (36 years old) as the mother, and she was arrested and charged. The fox35orlando.com article confirms: "Kelli Starling, 37, have been charged with homicide - aggravated child manslaughter." She was the biological mother who returned to the home in violation of a court order and was present when the child died.
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 fatality report describes an ongoing dependency case and that the child was removed from the parents in December 2022 "due to verified findings of substance misuse/illicit drugs by the mother when the child was born." This constitutes a prior child protection history predating the fatal incident.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
The fatality report states the child was placed in "licensed foster care for approximately nine and a half months, prior to being reunified with the father only on February 9, 2024." The child was not in foster care at the time of the incident (March 1, 2024) but had a history of foster care 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?
Multiple sources confirm both parents were arrested and charged. The fox35orlando.com article states: "Daniel Miller, 48, and Kelli Starling, 37, have been charged with homicide - aggravated child manslaughter. They were booked into the Marion County Jail on Wednesday night." The clickorlando.com article confirms both were arrested on May 1, 2024.
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 fox35orlando.com article explicitly details prior criminal histories for both parents: "Over the past 16 years, Starling has been arrested for drug possession, aggravated battery, attempted vehicular homicide and other drug-related charges." And: "Miller has a rap sheet that dates back to the mid 90s in Marion County, with charges including possession of crack cocaine and other drugs, grand theft, driving with a suspended license, retail petit theft, battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and fraudulent use of a credit card, to name a few." These are all prior to the current fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Substance use by both parents is extensively documented. The fatality report states the mother had "verified findings of substance misuse/illicit drugs" at the child's birth and that "her last screens were still positive for illicit substances." The fox35orlando.com article states: "His environment was a dark world of illicit drug use." The fox35orlando.com article also details both parents' extensive drug-related criminal histories. The wesh.com article notes the father had "fentanyl in his pocket at the time of his arrest" and the mother "was still heavily involved in drugs." Neighbors described the home as a "known drug house" and "drug city."
Notable Details
Several significant systemic and policy issues are explicitly described across the documents. The child was reunified with the biological father on February 9, 2024, just approximately 20 days before his death, despite the mother's ongoing positive drug screens. The fatality report notes the mother's "last screens were still positive for illicit substances" at the time of the January 2024 court hearing. The father agreed to move the mother out so reunification could proceed, but the mother returned to the home in violation of the court order. The wcjb.com article quotes the aunt: "I begged and pleaded and screamed from the rooftops that it was not safe for him and nobody listened." The family stated the child welfare agency (Kids Central) returned the child and "only 18 days later, he was dead." Neighbors described the home as a "known drug house" and "drug city" (wesh.com). Multiple family members and neighbors questioned DCF and the court's decision to reunify. DCF's statement defended the process: "The decision to reunify a child with their parent involves many entities, including the judiciary." Additionally, between March 1 (the child's death) and May 1 (the parents' arrests), neighbors reported the drug use at the home continued unabated, and the father had fentanyl in his pocket at the time of his arrest two months after the child's death.
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