Ohio man accused of causing child’s death by giving him a dose of Benadryl

An Ohio man is in jail on felony charges including murder accusing him of giving a 3-year-old boy a fatal dose of Benadryl.

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A call on April 13 about an unresponsive child at a home in Darbydale, southwest of Columbus, led Franklin County Sheriff’s detectives to Randy Mollett, 35, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office released Thursday.

Detectives discovered that the child suffered a medical emergency while in the care of Mollett, who was identified to them as a family friend. Mollett told deputies who were at the home that the child suffered a seizure. Fire department medics took the child, who was in serious condition, to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

The child died later that same day.

Detectives arrested Mollett on Wednesday and booked him into the county jail on charges of murder, child endangerment and reckless homicide. Mollett was found to have given the child a fatal overdose of Diphenhydramine (an active ingredient in Benadryl.

According to our news partners at WBNS (10tv.com), county Municipal Court records indicate that detectives searched Mollett’s home and found two bottles of Benadryl. Records also indicate that Mollett admitted to giving Benadryl to the boy, causing his death.

The sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation.

Mollett could be in Municipal Court for an initial appearance on the murder charge as soon as Friday, according to the jail’s online records.

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