Autopsy: Lillington toddler died from oxycodone overdose
A 2-year-old Harnett County girl had a lethal level of the pain killer oxycodone in her system when she died last spring, but authorities don't know whether it was an accident or intentional, according to an autopsy report released Tuesday.
Posted — UpdatedSasha Claire Johnson was found unconscious in bed in her Lillington home on May 22 and was pronounced dead at the scene. She had spent the previous week at her grandparents house and was acting "out of sorts" when her father picked her up on May 21, according to the report.
Although she had a heart abnormality, the medical examiner found no physical link between that and her death. Tests showed no evidence of any viral illness.
The medical examiner found oxycodone "within reported fatal ranges" in her blood, along with the pain killer acetaminophen and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, according to the report.
"In discussion with law enforcement, it was unclear as to how or why this child had oxycodone in her system (i.e., accidental ingestion or deliberate dosage by another person), and no further information was available at the time of this report. As such, the manner of death is classified as undetermined," the report states.
The Harnett County Sheriff’s office is aware of the autopsy’s findings and is awaiting a full copy for review. Investigators also have requested additional test results that are not routine.
No charges have been filed in the girl's death, but the case remains under investigation.
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