Parents charged in death of two-month-old girl after admitting giving her Benadryl

The parents admitted to giving the child drugs in the past

Two Texas parents have been charged with manslaughter after allegedly killing their 2-month-old using a Benadryl overdose.

Adam Canales Jr, 30 and Sarah Canales, 21, were arrested Thursday and and are being held in the Lubbock County jail on a $100,000 bond.

Local broadcaster KLBK reported that deputies responded to an emergency call at the couple's home on 11 July, 2021. Mr Canales called 911 after he found his daughter had stopped breathing.

He told officers that his wife had gone out for the night and that he was watching the child.

According to KCBD, the baby was dead by the time sheriff's deputies arrived at the home.

Mr Canales told the officers that he had fed the child and swaddled her "three hours before" they arrived. He said at the time that he had laid the baby in a rocker in the family's bedroom before he went to sleep on the couch.

According to his own account, the baby was still crying when he left the room. He claims that he later went to check on the girl and found that she had stopped breathing. He told the police during that visit that he had given the girl "gas drops" but did not mention Benadryl.

Drugs – diphenhydramine, doxylamine, and dextromethorphan – were found in the baby's system during its autopsy. None of those drugs are intended for use with infants.

When police returned to question Mr Canales after the drugs were found in the baby's system, he admitted that he had given "allergy medicine" to the baby.

Mr Canales "admitted giving the child Benadryl at least two times" to try to get the child to fall asleep.

He told police he had given the baby Benadryl in the past for the same purposes. He admitted to police that he was aware of the potential side effects of giving children the drug.

Ms Canales also admitted to police that she had given the child a variety of drugs; Benadryl "for a rash", Tylenol to make the child drowsy. She also confirmed that she knew the drugs were not safe for an infant.

The mother said she did not give her child Nyquil, which uses some of the drugs found in the baby's system, but also admitted that the syringes they used were not always cleaned.

Mr Canales mother confirmed that she had seen them giving their infant adult medication in the past.