Canonsburg infant died of fentanyl toxicity; parents charged
Two Canonsburg parents are now facing homicide charges after their infant daughter was found to have died from fentanyl toxicity.
James May IV, 31, and Shannon McKnight, 23, are currently being held in the Washington County jail without bail on prior charges of child endangerment, reckless endangerment, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
District Attorney Jason Walsh said those charges were refiled Monday along with the homicide charge, and the previous case will be withdrawn.
May and McKnight called 911 to their home at 1105 First St. on Aug. 11 when their 3-month-old daughter, Navaeah, was unresponsive. She later died at an area hospital. Police learned from a toxicology report last week that she had died from fentanyl.
May said that he, McKnight, Navaeah and their 16-month-old son had fallen asleep together in his bedroom. Their son, who is only identified in court documents as K.M., tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
While at the house, police noticed a crack pipe in an open night stand drawer in the bedroom. According to court records, police returned later with a search warrant and found stamp bags and other paraphernalia. The items were in the room where Navaeah was found.
May and McKnight hid for several days after they were initially charged, and did not attend Navaeah’s funeral.
They were arrested on Aug. 19 when they were found hiding in the rafters above a bedroom at a home at 409 Wayne St., Canton Township.