UPDATE: Couple Charged in Child's Death Linked to Methadone OD
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Updated: 1:58 PM Jan 8, 2009
UPDATE: Couple Charged in Child's Death Linked to Methadone OD
A Lincoln County husband and wife have been charged in the death of a 3-year-old boy they were babysitting. WEB EXTRA: Babysitter & State Trooper Interviews
Posted: 11:24 AM Jan 7, 2009
Reporter: Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com
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Update at 6 p.m. Wednesday
LINCOLN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The couple accused of giving a fatal overdose of methadone to a 3-year-old boy they were babysitting said it was a mistake.

West Virginia State Police officers in Hamlin didn't have to go far to catch Theresa and Oscar Hyatt; the couple turned themselves in Wednesday morning.

"I've got nothing to hide," Theresa Hyatt said. "I loved that child and I loved him dearly."

The Hyatt couple is charged with child neglect causing death after they gave Danny Cole Ross a lethal dose of methadone for his cold. The Hyatts were babysitting for a friend and said it was completely an accident.

"I assume what I gave Cole was Benadryl," Theresa Hyatt said. "Why would methadone be in my car?"

State Police have a different story, maintaining that the Hyatts knew exactly what they were doing and that they didn't call immediately call for help.

"We learned through the investigation that other substances were given to the child," State Police Trooper B.M. Greenlee said.

Police said the most disturbing part of the case is the lack of common sense the Hyatts showed toward the child.

"So many people want kids," Greenlee said. "It's sad they look at a child as a burden."

Police said it's quite possible the Hyatts also were taking drugs while babysitting.

Child neglect causing death charges carry the same penalty as first-degree murder.



Original story
HAMLIN, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Lincoln County husband and wife have been charged in the death of a 3-year-old boy they were babysitting.

West Virginia State Police arrested Theresa and Oscar Hyatt of Griffithsville Wednesday morning after they turned themselves into troopers at the Hamlin post.

3-year-old Danny Cole Ross died on December 23. State Police say the autopsy shows the boy died of a lethal dose of methadone.

The couple is charged with child neglect causing death.

As she and her husband arrived at the State Police Post, Teresa Hyatt told WSAZ.com that on December 22nd, she was babysitting Danny when he started showing signs of a cold.

Hyatt say she then gave the child what she thought was cold medication that was in a bottle in the back of her car. Hyatt says she didn't realize anything was wrong until the next morning when her husband found the child not breathing.

The Hyatt’s are being held on $100,000 bond each.

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Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 29, 2009 at 11:54 PM

Is there ever going to be an update on this case?? I am the grandmother of the child. And i would really like to know if anything is up with the case and what is going on.....please find out something.
Posted by: Anonymous on May 12, 2009 at 01:25 PM

Is anyone going to do an update on this case?
Posted by: JMO on Mar 3, 2009 at 01:31 AM

THis is Just my opinion but seeing as how these ppl are probably addicts and me having been an addict before..there is NO way IN Ho0Ha that they did not know what they had! Like an addict is EVER gonna just "forget" they put some methadone in the car. WHATEVER! They knew exactly what they were doing..just like the article above said, they had given that baby OTHER substances!
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