NEWS

Two arrested after child overdoses twice

Spenser Hickey
Reporter

MARION - Marion police arrested two city residents Tuesday after their 18-month-old daughter reportedly overdosed on Percocet twice.

Alan Kearns, 33, and Kassandra Kearns, 32, both residents of 198 Chicago Ave., were arrested in the 100 block of Johnson Street on felony warrants alleging child endangering, according to their arrest reports. Charges for that offense have been filed in Marion Municipal Court.

Marion Police Maj. Jay McDonald said officers and staff with Marion County Children Services are continuing to gather information, but he does not anticipate additional charges will be filed.

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McDonald said the child overdosed on Percocet on July 19 and July 24, and the investigation indicated the child was able to get hold of the pills and eat them in both cases. After the second overdose, naloxone was used to save the child's life and McDonald said the situation was "extremely dangerous."

"Percocet's a strong opiate designed for serious pain and any baby that can get unfettered access to something like that would be in very serious danger," he said.

McDonald said he hasn't seen another case like this where a child overdosed twice in one week during his time in law enforcement, but there have been cases in which a child got into medication one time due to a mistake. Generally, those cases were not treated as a criminal matter, McDonald said.

"But, you have a duty of care, and the child endangering laws apply in a situation like this, especially when it's a repeated instance," he said.

Alan and Kassandra Kearns are being held at the Multi-County Correctional Center, according to the news release, and municipal court records indicate a $100,000 bond was issued for Kassandra Kearns. Alan Kearns' bond information has not been entered online.

Neither of the two have attorneys listed in court records, and arraignment dates are not included in the online case docket.

shickey@marionstar.com
740-244-9940
Twitter: @SpenserHickey