GUILTY PA - Niccolo Varner, 11 mos, died of heroin OD, Collingdale, 15 July 2012

Christine Rivero has been arraigned in the death of her 11 month old baby Niccolo Varner.

Little Niccolo was "found unresponsive" in July. It was found he died of a heroin overdose.



http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20121109_Charges_in_babys_heroin_death.html

disgusting. why is it that society sees fit to kill animals that harm/injure/kill humans, but not to do the same when humans kill/injure/harm other humans. humans are animals too. no snark intended, i do not think humans without the ability to protect human life should be entrusted with human lives or walking among human beings...jmho, moo and imo...and anything else i may have forgotten...

Beautiful little boy, how did he ingest heroin at that age??

He is absolutely gorgeous, badhorsie. Little Niccolo.

Well can it be worse? Poor little doll was born addicted to heroin.

Basically she said she had put him in the tub with his 5 year old brother and never left the bathroom. Later she said she put them in the tub abd went outside to snort heroin in the yard, and the older brother said the baby hit his head.

Dad lived there at the time and said the baby was under supervision by child services. He suspected Rivero probably was back on dope, and hid his diabetic needles and slpet with his wallet.

If it was just her alone I'd say she left some out someplace. However, she may have given him some so he'd sleep and she could nod the heck off in bed without the dad knowing. Nope, heroin addicts don't share.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/l...ged_with_murder_in_infant_s_heroin_death.html



Poor adorable baby.

O.K. the 5 year old is doing well, and dad had moved back in August to get sole custody. He's with his dad, but CYS still involved.


http://www.dailylocal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121109/NEWS01/121109606&template=printart

So presumably CPS knew child was born addicted to heroin. Yet obviously the mother still got custody. And so I presume CPS is not surprised by this outcome.
:furious:

Maybe she was breast feeding? Poor baby!

No, the drug was not ingested through breast feeding.

""This child was given or consumed heroin," said Whelan. He said that he did not know how the baby received the drug but that the drug had not been ingested through breastfeeding."

http://articles.philly.com/2012-11-11/news/35035183_1_heroin-death-acute-heroin-intoxication-baby

From June 2013:

http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/art...oc51c2d53051bde282096421.txt?viewmode=default

A 29-year-old Collingdale woman was sentenced to three to six years in state prison Tuesday for the July 2012 death of her 11-month-old son from a heroin overdose.

Christina Rivero was scheduled to go to trial next week on charges of third-degree murder and criminal homicide, but pleaded Tuesday to lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.

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