More charges filed against mother accused of killing infant
Laboratory results reveal that a Coal Center mother, jailed on homicide charges, may have been poisoning her infant son prior to his October death resulting from physical abuse.
The Washington County District Attorney’s office filed a motion last week after receiving lab results that showed “significant ethanol” in 3-month-old Isaiah Sullivan’s formula, which was seized by state police when they were first alerted to the alleged abuse in September.
His mother, Symantha Sullivan, 25, is awaiting trial in jail without bail after being accused of punching baby Isaiah in the back of the head Sept. 10 when he wouldn’t fall asleep. Sullivan allegedly admitted to police that she had dropped the child on his head in a bathtub a few days prior.
Isaiah was unresponsive Sept. 11 after additional alleged abuse and was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he was placed on life support. He suffered a brain injury, skull fracture, spinal damage and several other fractures before he died Oct. 26.
The prosecution found through discovery that Sullivan had been “poisoning, sedating, and/or drugging the victim with ethanol/ethyl alcohol in his bottle,” the motion states. It also states that “witnesses claimed she used Nyquil and melatonin to subdue the baby,” which the prosecution intends to bring up during the trial.
According to the motion, lab results from Dec. 9 and Jan. 14 showed ethanol/ethyl alcohol was in the formula. The lab results were not completed when the initial charges were filed, the motion states.
Common Pleas Judge John DiSalle granted Thursday the motion that will include the lab results in the case, but not alter the charges in any way. DiSalle also granted a motion for a mental health consultation for Sullivan, according to court documents.
Sullivan is charged with criminal homicide and multiple counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and harassment. Assistant Public Defender Rose Semple entered a plea of not guilty on Sullivan’s behalf.
The prosecution is seeking the death penalty.