After NJ infant drug overdose death, PA mom is arrested

◾ NJ baby dies, week after 911 call

◾ Autopsy finds drug exposure

◾ Mother now faces criminal charge

A 32-year-old mother has been accused of causing her infant son’s overdose death in Burlington County.

Vanessa Hampton, of the Frankford section of Philadelphia, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter and third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw announced on Thursday.

SEE ALSO: NJ mom faces prison after plea in son's OD death

In November 2022, Medford Township police were called to a local residence for an unresponsive infant.

The 10-month-old was taken to Virtua Hospital in Voorhees and then transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead a week later.

An autopsy by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office found the baby had died from drug intoxication after being exposed to Xylazine.

Read More: NJ mother arrested, charged after baby girl’s fentanyl drug death

Xylazine is a tranquilizer with FDA approval for use in veterinary medicine but no federal approval for human use.

The non-opioid sedative has been found in some illegal drug supplies, often added to fentanyl, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Overdose reversal medications do not reverse the drug’s effects.

The infant’s death was ruled a homicide, and prosecutors said Hampton was responsible for exposing her son to the drug.

She was arrested last week in Philadelphia and was awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

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