It was oxycodone, a narcotic painkiller, that led to 2-year-old Hunter Vanpool’s death.
Gwinnett County police arrested Thursday 34-year-old Hoschton man Kurt Vanpool, charging him with felony murder and second-degree cruelty to children. The charges stemmed from the April 19, 2013, death of his 2-year-old son, Hunter.
Vanpool was arrested late Thursday afternoon and few details were initially available, though warrants obtained by the Daily Post alleged that he left “illegal drugs in an area where the child could ingest” them. Gwinnett County police provided more information on Friday.
“Investigators learned that the child’s father … obtained oxycodone and took some of the medication during the middle of the night,” spokesman Cpl. Edwin Ritter said in a news release. “Mr. Vanpool claimed that at some point during the night, Hunter was able to ingest some of the oxycodone and died.”