LAINA STEVENSON - 1 yo - / Accused: Father Martin Stevenson - Bloomington IL

Inquest jury: 1-year-old died from accidental drug overdose


September 27, 2012 4:52 pm

BLOOMINGTON — A 1-year-old girl died accidentally of a drug overdose, a McLean County inquest jury ruled Thursday.

Laina Stevenson was found unresponsive in her bed by her father, Martin Stevenson, around 5:30 a.m. May 8 after the child’s twin sister woke up crying, according to information given to the inquest panel by Coroner Beth Kimmerling.

Stevenson, 25, faces felony charges for endangering the health of a child resulting in a death. He is accused of allowing the child access to Suboxone, a drug prescribed to treat opiate dependency.

He was arrested Aug. 15 and remains in jail in lieu of $50,025.

The coroner said observations during the autopsy pointed to a potential drug overdose. Toxicology reports returned in August turned up evidence of what Kimmerling described as “fatal concentrations” of Suboxone.

Normal Police Det. Nicole Bruno testified that Stevenson and his wife Marta told authorities the children suffered from allergies and were given an allergy medication and a pain reliever before they went to bed. They also reported that Laina had trouble staying awake during her dinner.

Martin Stevenson admitted to a drug relapse days before the child’s death and to obtaining a prescription for Suboxone.

According to Bruno, the father initially said he took half a pill in the morning but later said he took an entire pill. Stevenson said no pills were missing and the mother told police she saw one-half of a pill in the bottle when she checked it around 9 p.m., said the detective.

The amount of the narcotic digested by the child and recorded in blood tests — 13.1 nanograms per milliliter — surpassed the 8.4 nanograms per milliliter considered fatal in adults, said the coroner.

“It’s not a fragment or a crumb — we’re talking somewhere along a half or a whole pill,” Kimmerling said of the drug.

During his last interview with police in August, Stevenson stopped answering questions and asked for an attorney, said Bruno.

Marta Stevenson was shocked and distraught to hear that the child had ingested Suboxone and had no explanation, according to police.

The couple’s surviving twin and a 9-year-old daughter remain with their mother, Bruno told the jurors.

The jury deliberated about 30 minutes before returning its ruling.

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/inquest-jury--year-old-died-from-accidental-drug-overdose/article_8308842a-08ed-11e2-93c4-001a4bcf887a.html



I don't get the local paper or listen to radio much so I really missed this one. His trial has not been set yet. Remember to keep all drugs whether prescription or not away from children at all times. This case is a little funny to me. Sounds more like he gave the toddler drugs because of her allergies. Not wanting to take care of her. I'm glad my parents did the right things with my allergies when I was growing up. I'll try and find more out about this case.

William


Ava’s Rules


Always lock your car and store your keys out of kids reach.
Verify your children know to NEVER go to the car unsupervised.Actively seek out sheltered locations to park your car.

Will’s rules

NEVER assume where your child is, KNOW.
NEVER assume your child is NOT in the car LOOK.
NEVER leave your child ALONE for one second, NEVER.
NEVER assume your child is safe, KNOW.
Large dogs and little kids DON’T mix.
Keep your medicine locked AWAY from your child.

Laina Stevenson


May 11, 2012 12:00 am



NORMAL — Laina J. Stevenson, 1 year old, Normal, passed away at 6:27 a.m. Tuesday (May 8, 2012) at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal.

Her graveside service will be at 2 p.m. today at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Bloomington. The Rev. Stephanie Soon will officiate.

Visitation will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. today at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. The family suggests memorials be made to her family in care of her parents.

Laina was born April 28, 2011, in Normal, the daughter of Martin J. and Marta Kowerko Stevenson.

Surviving are her parents, Martin and Marta Stevenson, Normal; two sisters, her twin, Lacey J. Stevenson, and Dacia Davis, both at home, Normal; maternal grandparents, Mariano “Paul” and Phyllis Kowerko, Normal; paternal grandparents, James W. and Corinne Stevenson Jr., Armington; paternal great-grandmother, Helen Coolidge, Lawrence, Mass.; maternal great-grandmother, Johanna Peterson, Pekin; and several aunts and uncles.

Laina enjoyed family time; she enjoyed playing with her sisters, watching Baby Einstein videos and playing with her dog, Daisy.

Please view the obituary and share your condolences and memories online at www.calvertmemorial.com.



I did find her Obituary. No photo's yet.

William

I found her picture on her obituary. Just broke my heart when I saw her.



William

I like your rules Will and am repeating them from above:

Will’s rules

NEVER assume where your child is, KNOW.
NEVER assume your child is NOT in the car LOOK.
NEVER leave your child ALONE for one second, NEVER.
NEVER assume your child is safe, KNOW.
Large dogs and little kids DON’T mix.
Keep your medicine locked AWAY from your child.

Prosecution: Child endangerment case ‘essentially gutted’ by judge
April 03, 2013 4:53 pm • By Edith Brady-Lunny | eblunny@pantagraph.com
BLOOMINGTON — The case against a father accused of giving his 1-year-old daughter an unintentionally fatal dose of a prescription drug was “essentially gutted” by a judge’s ruling on the man’s drug use history, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Martin Stevenson, 26, of Normal, is charged with endangering the health of a child resulting in a death. He is accused of allowing Laina Stevenson access to Suboxone, a drug prescribed to treat opiate dependency, in May 2012.

In response to a motion from defense lawyer Steve Skelton, McLean County Judge Scott Drazewski ruled that evidence of Stevenson’s prior drug use and the reason he was prescribed Suboxone are irrelevant and may not be presented to the jury at an April 15 trial.

“The court has essentially gutted the state’s case,” First Assistant State’s Attorney Bill Workman said in his request that the judge reconsider the decision.

Drazewski also noted a clear distinction exists between allowing the child access to the drug — as specified in the charge — and administering it.

While not suggesting that the state should have filed a murder charge against Stevenson, the judge commented the act of administering a drug is outside the evidentiary bounds of the current charge against the defendant.

In his arguments that the jury should know about Stevenson’s drug history, Workman disclosed the state’s theory as to why the father allegedly gave Laina the drug he takes as part of his treatment for an addiction to prescription pain medications.

The state plans to introduce evidence the child was not feeling well and Stevenson — without intent to harm the child — gave her his medication because “he possibly felt it would make her feel better.”

Skelton said the defense has received no evidence related to the state’s theory that he termed “purely and absolutely speculative.” The information of prior drug use would be prejudicial to Stevenson, said Skelton.

According to police, Stevenson and his wife, Marta, said the twin girls suffered from allergies and were given a pain reliever and allergy medication before they went to bed. Laina was found unresponsive by her father around 5:30 a.m. after her twin sister woke up crying, according to authorities.

Toxicology reports returned three months after the child’s death turned up evidence of what was described in a coroner’s report as “fatal concentrations” of Suboxone.

Stevenson remains in jail in lieu of posting $50,025 on the felony charges.

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/prosecution-child-endangerment-case-essentially-gutted-by-judge/article_de34e9c0-9ca8-11e2-8b9c-0019bb2963f4.html

This is disturbing news. His drug problem led to the death of Laina whether he gave it to her directly or she ate it by accident. Keeping medicene from your children is the responsibility of the care giver. There are still plenty here that think he delibertly gave that little girl the meds. William

Why don't they charge him with manslaughter? He is responsible for this baby's death.

Why do women allow men like this to live in the same house as their defenseless babies?