Parents Charged with Murdering Child Via Drug Overdose

A 4-year-old girl died after overdosing on medication to treat her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and her parent are arrested on murder charges.

Rebecca Riley lived in Massachusetts and was prescribed Clonidine (a blood pressure reducing drug) for her ADHD as well as Depakote for a suspected Bipolar disorder her pediatrician had diagnosed her with.

The autopsy reported that the combination of the above two medications along with a cough suppressant and antihistamine are what caused her tragic death.

Her parents have been blamed as upping her dosage of the prescribed two drugs as well as giving her the other two medications to get her "out of their hair" and to improve her behavior.

The parents Carolyn and Michael Riley have been charged in their daughter's death and will likely face a prison sentence.

They say she was prescribed the medications by her doctor after being diagnosed with both ADHD and Bipolar disorder at the age of 2 ½. The same drugs have been given to their older children as well.

The amount of Clonidine in the young child's system alone was enough to cause a fatal reaction reports the medical examiner.

The two drugs prescribed to Rebecca are approved for use only in adults by the FDA but Doctors are allowed to give them to children when they believe the need exists.

Her pediatrician and psychiatrist both recommended the medication even though controversy exists regarding diagnosing children of that age with mood and behavior disorders.

Rebecca's teachers, school nurse and her therapist were interviewed by police and claim they have never seen aggression, hyperactivity or other signs of either condition in the young girl.

What the school staff did say was that the child seemed lethargic and out of it, even had to be carried places.

Prosecutors said the parents gave their daughter high doses of the drug Clonidine to keep her quiet and to get her to behave. Family and friends reported that the parents called them "happy and sleepy" drugs and have no doubt that they were used for the wrong reasons.

Her parents have named the Psychiatrist, Dr. Koyoko Kifuji with over-prescribing the medication and put the blame on her. The state board is reviewing the case and Kifuji's license is suspended until further investigation.

Kifugi says Rebecca has been her patient since she was 2 years old and diagnosed her after reviewing the family's mental health records as well as going off of what the parents told her about their child's behavior. She also briefly observed the child in her office.

Carolyn claims that she was only following the doctor's orders which included the approval to give both Rebecca and her older sister Clonidine to help them sleep at night.

Sources:

Denise Lavoie. "Girls overdose death raises questions" Newsday.com