Mother charged in baby’s morphine death

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Authorities say a 22-year-old mother has been charged after her seven-month-old daughter died by ingesting a lethal amount of morphine.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said Monday that Shakinah Seals, of Newark, was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child in the death of Iriannah Seals.

Prosecutors say Iriannah's death was ruled a homicide after she was pronounced dead on Sept. 23 at Beth Israel Hospital.

Seals was being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility on $50,000 bail. It wasn't immediately known if she had an attorney.

Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman for the Essex County prosecutor's office, says she couldn't provide further details, including how the child got the morphine and what form it took.

The investigation into Iriannah's death is continuing.

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