OAKLAND PARK, Fla. – A Broward County grandmother is facing charges for the death of her 11-month-old grandson who died after baby bottles containing a powerful antihistamine were found in her home, according to a medical examiner’s report.
Tibina Louissant of Oakland Park was arrested Friday after an investigation into the death of Josiah Fenelus; Louissant was the boy’s paternal grandmother.
Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit detectives arrested Louissant, 53, on Friday, Oct. 13, for aggravated manslaughter of a child.
The incident happened in the summer of 2022. At 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.
Paramedics took 11-month-old Josiah Fenelus to Broward Health Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Prosecutors said that two baby bottles filled with cough syrup were discovered in the home and that the arrest form said that the child was in normal health when left with the grandmother, but when he was found he had swelling on the brain and bleeding on his scalp.
The baby was staying with Louissant for the weekend, according to the BSO report. While at her home, Josiah, became unresponsive.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and determined in October 2022 that the baby had a lethal concentration of a powerful antihistamine called 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.
On Saturday, Louissant appeared in court with an attorney where a judge found probable cause on the charges. Prosecutors recommended a bond of $200,000, and that she have no unsupervised contact with minors and should wear a GPS tracking device.
Her attorney argued that Louissant has been a resident of Broward County for 30 years, is a mother, has 15 grandchildren and has no criminal history.
According to detectives, Louissant said she was the only person to prepare the child’s bottles while in her care.
The judge set bond at $50,000 and did not order a GPS monitor but granted prosecutors that Louissant have no unsupervised contact with minors.