Parents, grandmother charged in death of newborn after fentanyl found in child’s blood

BENSALEM, Pa. (Gray News) - Three people are facing charges after police said a newborn boy died after suffering cardiac arrest at a Pennsylvania home in January.

Bensalem police have charged parents Felicity Westmoreland and Daniel Howarth with involuntary manslaughter, while grandmother and foster mother Donna Westmoreland was charged with child endangerment in the 4-month-old’s death. The parents were also charged with child endangerment and drug crimes.

Police and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said the baby was transported to a hospital in Langhorne after he was found unresponsive at the home. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

During the investigation, detectives said the parents were at the home with the child, and there were drug baggies and syringes inside the residence. Those items tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine.

An autopsy revealed the child had fentanyl in his blood, and the cause of death was determined to be from adverse effects of the powerful opioid.

Donna Westmoreland was previously appointed as the foster mother and was ordered to not leave the baby unsupervised with his parents.

Authorities said she admitted to leaving the 4-month-old with his parents on the day the child died.

Felicity Westmoreland was arrested and placed in the Bucks County Correctional Facility where her bail was set at $10 million.

Donna Westmoreland was also arrested and being held with bail set at $150,000.

There is a warrant out for Howarth, and he has yet to be arrested as of Thursday afternoon.

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