OAKLAND PARK, Fla. (BSO / News Release) – Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit detectives arrested Tibina Louissant on Friday, Oct. 13, for aggravated manslaughter of a child.
According to detectives, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2022, Broward County Regional Communications received a call regarding an unresponsive child at 124 N.W. 40th Court in Oakland Park. BSO Oakland Park District deputies and Oakland Park Fire Rescue responded to the scene. Paramedics transported the victim, 11-month-old Josiah Fenelus to Broward Health Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.
The investigation revealed that the family of Josiah Fenelus left him in the care of his paternal grandmother, Louissant, during that weekend. While at Louissant’s home, Josiah, who had no known medical problems, became unresponsive. Following his death, BSO homicide detectives and crime scene investigators began an investigation.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and determined in October 2022 that Josiah Fenelus had a lethal concentration of the powerful antihistamine cyproheptadine in his body. In the summer of 2023, toxicology tests determined that items found in Louissant’s home, two baby bottles, tested positive for cyproheptadine. According to detectives, Louissant said she was the only person to make Josiah’s bottles while in her care.
On Aug. 14., the final autopsy report was completed. Josiah’s cause of death was determined to be cyproheptadine toxicity, and the manner of death determined to be a homicide.
This past Friday afternoon, Louissant was booked into the Broward County Main Jail and released on bond on Saturday following a court appearance.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cyproheptadine is a prescription antihistamine that also acts as an appetite stimulant and is frequently used in attempts to gain weight or enhance one’s physical appearance. Cyproheptadine is only legal with a doctor’s prescription but can be found in products sold in certain stores and online without a prescription. Cyproheptadine is not approved for use in children younger than 2-years-old. Antihistamine overdose can cause disorientation, hallucinations, coma and, in some cases, death.
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