AUTUMN MINNEMA - 2 yo (2010) - Walker (S end of Chippewa Nat'l Forest) MI

2-year-old overdose victim had wandered away from home several times, family says

Published: Friday, December 10, 2010, 7:38 PM
Updated: Friday, December 10, 2010, 8:37 PM



Autumn Minnema with her father, Nathan Minnema

WALKER -- Child Protective Services workers earlier this year were asked to look into the safety of 2-year-old Autumn Minnema, who died from a prescription drug overdose in November, after the child wandered alone out of her home three times.The child's paternal grandparents question why authorities did not do more to protect Autumn, but also believe someone should be held responsible for failing to get Autumn medical help after she took pills.The girl was with her mother, at a birthday party for her uncle, when she was believed to have accidentally ingested pills.She was found dead the next day and toxicology results from an autopsy confirmed she had anti-psychotic medication in her system."Somebody really should be held responsible," said Joe Warren, the girl's grandfather. "Not for the fact she got into pills. But because they had every good reason to suspect she took them and did nothing."Autumn's father, Nathan Minnema, earlier said the girl's mother told him that people at the party tried to make the girl vomit, but she did not. She then was placed in bed, and found dead early the next afternoon.Nathan Minnema was not at the party and is now separated from Autumn's mother.Joe Warren said that since the Nov. 15 death, he has learned that police had at least three contacts with the young family.Autumn last summer walked out of the home where the family was staying in Coopersville and went near the street.Then in August, she walked out of family's York Creek apartment in Alpine Township twice, with police responding to return the girl."I guess once, she was with the dog and had almost made it out to Alpine Avenue," Joe Warren said. "She would let herself out of the house and wander off."Warren said he and his wife were not aware of all of the incidents.It was not immediately clear what happened with any police referrals to CPS.Meanwhile, toxicology reports this week showed Autumn had twice the amount of an anti-psychotic drug in her system as a single adult dose, a pathologist said.Dr. Stephen Cohle, who performed the autopsy on Autumn, said toxicology reports showed the girl died from too much haloperidol, sold as Haldol, in her system.Haldol is anti-psychotic drug most often used to treat schizophrenia.Walker police say the investigation into the girl's death is open and do not know whether anyone will face criminal charges.Cohle, a forensic pathologist at Spectrum Health Blodgett hospital, said Haldol is generally safe for adults. But it could cause the heart to slow or stop and impaired breathing in a child, he said.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/12/2-year-old_overdose_victim_had.html

No Criminal Charges in Awtumn Minnema Death Case



March 8, 2011

WALKER— The Kent County Prosecutor's Office has decided not to bring any criminal charges in the case of little Awtumn Minnema--the two-year-old girl who died last November after she got into some prescription drugs.

The toddler had been staying with her mother, Lindsay Wilson, and was with her at a family member's birthday party when she got into the medicine.

Wilson spoke to FOX 17 after her daughter's death late last year, saying that the pills had been counted, and that Awtum said she did not take anything or put anything in her mouth. She went on to say that she has regrets about not calling 911.

Police found that Awtumn Minnema ingested a quantity of one of her grandparents' prescription medicines called Haldol--an anti-psychotic drug often prescribed to the elderly. A medicine cabinet shelf had broken earlier in the evening before the girl fell ill, and that's when she may have gotten into the drugs.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Helen Brinkman released the following statement to FOX 17 News on Tuesday morning: "At this time, based on the thorough investigation conducted by the Walker Police Department, there being no evidence of criminal negligence that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and there being no malice by any of the care givers that night; it appears to be a situation where everyone was convinced that the child had not consumed the drug.

This was a needless and tragic loss of a precious life, but not a criminal act. Thus, there will be no criminal charges arising out of this event at this time. Should additional evidence come to light, obviously we would reconsider."