Family Affair: Parents, Grandma Charged In Fentanyl-Related Death Of Infant In Philly Suburbs

Three family members have been charged in the death of an infant who had fentanyl in his system, authorities in Bucks County said.

Felicity Westmoreland (top), Donna Westmoreland (bottom), and Daniel Howarth
Photo Credit: *Bensalem Police Department*

Nicole Acosta

03/17/2022 12:22 p.m.

Donna Westmoreland, who was was previously appointed as the four-month-old baby's foster mother, violated a court order on Friday, Jan. 7, when she left her grandson unsupervised with his parents, Felicity Westmoreland and Daniel Howarth, Bensalem police said.

Bensalem police officers responding to a report of an infant in cardiac arrest found the baby unresponsive in the living room of an Oak Avenue home in Trevose around 12:35 p.m., police said.

The infant was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Langhorne where he later died.

An autopsy revealed the presence of fentanyl in the baby's blood and the cause of death was determined to be “adverse effects of fentanyl," police said.

Police found the home in "disarray," with clothes, trash and old food scattered throughout, they said. Police also discovered "numerous drug baggies, syringes and a tourniquet commonly used for drug injection."

Those items tested positive for the presence of fentanyl and cocaine, police said.

The Bucks County Juvenile Dependency Court had ordered Donna Westmoreland to be the baby's foster mother and to prohibit the infant from being alone with his parents, according to police. She later admitted to detectives that she broke the court order that day.

Donna Westmoreland was arraigned on a child endangerment charge on Wednesday, March 16, and remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10 percent of $150,000 bail.

Felicity Westmoreland and Daniel Howarth were charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Westmoreland was remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 percent of $10 million bail on Thursday, March 17.

Police are still on the hunt for Howarth and have a warrant for his arrest.

Bensalem Police are asking anyone with information on Howarth's whereabouts or information about the case, to contact Bensalem Police at (215) 633-3719 or submit an anonymous tip on Crimewatch PA.

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