On July 7, 2023, 1-year-old Amari Zagotti was found dead in a portable crib in his mother Brianna Zagotti's Compass West apartment in Austintown, Ohio, over 12 hours after he was last seen alive. The Mahoning County Coroner determined that Amari died from acute fentanyl intoxication and ruled the death accidental. The coroner testified that the amount of fentanyl Amari ingested would have killed an adult and that he likely died within minutes of ingestion. His mother later admitted she had blue pills in her bed where Amari initially fell asleep and that a known fentanyl user and dealer had visited her apartment the night before. She also lied to police multiple times about her whereabouts, initially claiming she was home all night before admitting she had left the apartment to go to a Waffle House with her boyfriend. Zagotti was convicted by jury of child endangering (a third-degree felony) but acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, and was sentenced to the maximum of three years in prison.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
All three documents confirm the child died from fentanyl ingestion/overdose. Document 1 (WFMJ) states: "the child died from ingesting the powerful opiate fentanyl" and "The Mahoning County Coroner found that the boy died from acute fentanyl intoxication." Document 3 (WKBN trial) states: "Amari died from an ingestion of fentanyl" and the coroner testified "Amari would have had to have ingested the fentanyl that killed him."
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)?
Multiple documents describe inappropriate supervision. Document 3 (WKBN trial) states that Zagotti admitted having "blue pills in her bed when Amari went to sleep," placing dangerous drugs within reach of the 1-year-old. Additionally, Document 2 (WKBN sentencing) reports that the mother left the apartment to go to a restaurant with her boyfriend, "saying she had asked a neighbor to check on the child." Document 3 adds that "Zagotti never told her the name of a person she asked to watch Amari or contact information for that person," calling the adequacy of the supervision arrangement into question. She also had a known drug user and dealer visit the apartment the night before the child was found dead.
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?
Document 3 (WKBN trial) reports that Zagotti admitted on the day a warrant was issued: "she had some blue pills in her bed when Amari went to sleep." The child initially fell asleep in his mother's bed where fentanyl pills were present, creating an unsafe sleeping environment. He was then moved to a portable crib, but the presence of drugs in the bed where a 1-year-old was sleeping constitutes 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?
Brianna Zagotti, the biological mother, was charged, convicted, and sentenced for the child's death. Document 2 (WKBN sentencing) states she was "convicted Feb. 27 by a jury of child endangering, a third-degree felony" and "sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison." Document 3 (WKBN trial) reports she admitted to having "blue pills in her bed when Amari went to sleep," had a known drug user/seller visiting her apartment the night before, and left the child inadequately supervised.
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?
Document 1 (WFMJ) states: "Brianna Zagotti answered the charge before a judge in County Court on Monday, following her arrest on a warrant issued by Austintown Township Police." Document 2 (WKBN sentencing) confirms she was convicted and "sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison." She was indicted on involuntary manslaughter and child endangering charges on Dec. 28, 2023.
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?
While Zagotti testified "There's no drugs allowed in my home," she later admitted to having "blue pills in her bed when Amari went to sleep" (Document 3, WKBN trial). Detective McGlynn found "two plastic bags in the kitchen that were tied the way drug dealers regularly tie their bags" with "a light, white powder residue on them." Additionally, Zagotti told police that one of her visitors the night before was "a known drug user and seller and his drug of choice was fentanyl." The presence of blue pills (commonly associated with illicit fentanyl pills) in her bed and drug paraphernalia in the apartment implies substance use or involvement by the parent/caregiver.
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the trial testimony in Document 3 (WKBN trial). Key physical evidence was never tested: the detective confirmed that two plastic bags tied in a manner consistent with drug packaging and bearing white powder residue were not sent for fentanyl testing because "there wasn't enough powder on the bags to be tested. Other items found in the apartment, including Amari's bottle, were also not tested." The mother provided progressively different accounts to police: she initially said she was home all night, only admitting she went to a Waffle House with her boyfriend when shown a security camera photo, and only admitting to having "blue pills in her bed" on the day her arrest warrant was issued. Additionally, the jury's split verdict — acquitting on involuntary manslaughter (a first-degree felony) while convicting on child endangering (a third-degree felony) — is notable, with the judge imposing the maximum sentence of three years.
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