On August 20, 2023, police received a 911 call reporting a deceased 1-year-old at a residence on Lake Iliff Road in Andover Township, Sussex County, New Jersey. The child had been dead for an undetermined amount of time. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was acute intoxication due to fentanyl and xylazine, with the manner of death ruled as accident. Controlled dangerous substances and drug paraphernalia were found in the home, and evidence had been removed from the residence and relocated off the property. Three adults — Julie Taylor (48), Stephen M Dagis (52), and Sarah Vanderbilt (34) — were arrested and initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child, possession of CDS, and drug paraphernalia offenses, with Taylor and Dagis also charged with hindering apprehension, obstructing administration of law, and tampering with evidence. The charges were later escalated to manslaughter, and all three defendants were sentenced in August 2024.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The medical examiner report (NJ_23_1979.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Acute Intoxication due to Fentanyl and Xylazine" for a 1-year-old child, clearly indicating a drug overdose/ingestion.
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 child died from acute fentanyl and xylazine intoxication in a home where "controlled dangerous substances and drug paraphernalia had been observed in the residence" (wrnjradio.com). The three adults present were charged with "second-degree endangering the welfare of a child" and possession of CDS. The combination of a 1-year-old dying from drug intoxication in a home where illegal substances were accessible strongly implies inappropriate 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?
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)
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 wrnjradio.com article reports that "police arrested Julie Taylor, 48, Stephen M Dagis, 52, and Sarah Vanderbilt, 34" and lists multiple charges including "second-degree endangering the welfare of a child." The northjersey.com article further states that "the three defendants facing manslaughter charges" were sentenced, indicating the charges were later escalated to include manslaughter.
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 wrnjradio.com article states that "controlled dangerous substances and drug paraphernalia had been observed in the residence." All three adults charged in the child's death — Julie Taylor, Stephen M Dagis, and Sarah Vanderbilt — were charged with "third-degree possession of CDS" and "possession of drug paraphernalia," directly indicating caregiver substance use.
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the documents. First, the wrnjradio.com article reports that "evidence had been removed from the residence and relocated off the property," and Taylor and Dagis were charged with "fourth-degree tampering with evidence" and "third-degree hindering apprehension," indicating active efforts to obstruct the investigation. Second, while the medical examiner ruled the manner of death as "Accident," the northjersey.com article reveals that all three defendants were later charged with manslaughter, indicating prosecutorial escalation beyond the initial endangerment charges. Third, the relationships of the three arrested adults (Julie Taylor, 48; Stephen M Dagis, 52; and Sarah Vanderbilt, 34) to the child are never identified in any of the provided documents, leaving the caregiving arrangement unclear.
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