The disturbing details surrounding a two-year-old girl’s death are coming into focus after an autopsy revealed deadly levels of Benadryl in her body.
via: People
Authorities have charged a Virginia mom with murder in connection to the death of her 2-year-old daughter who was found unresponsive in a motel, according to police.
Citing the medical examiner’s office, WTVR-TV reports Lanoix Andrade died of “acute diphenhydramine toxicity.”
Diphenhydramine is commonly known as Benadryl.
According to a news release, police in Virginia Beach, Va., responded to the Cutty Sark Motel on Aug. 1 where they discovered 38-year-old Leandra Andrade suffering from a medical emergency.
Her daughter, Lanoix, also in the motel room, was pronounced dead on the scene.
Andrade was transferred to a local hospital for treatment.
Upon release, she was charged with abuse and neglect of a child in relation to her toddler’s death, which authorities deemed suspicious at the time, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Prior to the incident, citing court records, the outlet reports Andrade fled the Washington D.C., area with Lanoix after Lanoix’s father, Fabio Andrade Jr., was awarded full legal custody, although both parents were granted joint physical custody.
Following the autopsy results and the announcement of the murder charge, Fabio called his daughter the “love of my life,” in a statement obtained by WTVR.
“While today’s charges will never bring back my daughter, I am thankful to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for seeking justice for her senseless murder. I look forward to seeing justice served for Lanoix and continue to ask for privacy so that I may mourn my beloved angel,” the statement reads.
Andrade retained attorney James Broccoletti who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
It was unclear if she entered a plea to the charges.
Jail records indicate Andrade was denied bond.
