NC infant dies, 4-year-old hospitalized after eating Oxycodone; mom, boyfriend charged

NASHVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — An infant has died and a 4-year-old remains in the hospital after the two children ingested Oxycodone inside a Nashville home, according to a release from Nashville police.

Nashville police officers responded to a home in the 200-block of Richardson Court at approximately 9:36 p.m. on Sept. 6 and provided assistance to the Nashville Fire Department and Nash County Emergency Medical Services in reference to a call involving two children inside the home, police said.

Firefighters and EMS workers had to perform CPR on a 1-year-old and 4-year-old after the two found Oxycodone on a bed and “accidentally ingested the drug,” authorities said.

Both children were transported to Nash UNC Hospital for treatment and both were later transferred to Vidant Hospital in Greenville. Authorities also notified the Nash County Department of Social Services.

Following the incident, officers interviewed the mother’s boyfriend, Kameron Daekwon Harris-Brooks, of Charlotte, and charged with him possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and two counts of misdemeanor child abuse.

Kameron Harris-Brooks and Jorese Howard (Nashville Police Department)

Harris-Brooks was taken into custody and placed in the Nash County Jail under a $225,000 secured bond.

Three days after the incident, on Sept. 9, the infant died at the hospital, police said. The 4-year-old remains hospitalized in stable condition.

After the infant’s death, investigators gathered with the Nash County District Attorney’s Office and determined that the charges against Harris-Brooks should be upgraded to involuntary manslaughter, possession with intent to sell/deliver Schedule II controlled substance, and child endangerment.

The mother of the children, Jorese Howard, was also arrested on the same charges as her boyfriend, police said.

Howard was placed in the Nash County Jail under a $50,000 secured bond.

Harris-Brooks is now being held on a $260,000 secured bond after one of the child endangerment charges was upgraded to involuntary manslaughter, officials said.

Harris-Brooks currently has pending criminal charges of larceny of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was previously released on those charges under a $100,000 secured bond, according to police. He has previous convictions for breaking and entering, felony larceny, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, and felony probation violation.

Police said they have no further information to release at this time.