A DeKalb County grand jury on Tuesday indicted a woman on charges that she caused the death of her four-month-old son by giving him a lethal amount of cough medicine.
Carlitha Yvette Hardy, 34, faces reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter charges in the case.
The indictment stated that on or about Nov. 26, 2010, Hardy “caused the death of Ha-hson Hardy … without any intention to do so, by administering various medications in toxic amounts.”
Authorities said the woman may have given the child more than one type of cough medicine, based on drugs found in his system.
The involuntary manslaughter charge is justified, DeKalb County District Attorney Robert D. James told the AJC. He said the death, while not malicious, was more than an accident because it was reckless.
“Every parent has to understand that you can’t give infants adult medication,” James said. “It’s a sad and tragic situation.”
Jail records listed the mother’s address in the 2600 block of Charlestown Drive, College Park, but James said the incident happened in DeKalb County. Records indicate a $15,000 bond was set in the case on Aug. 15, 2011. Hardy bonded out of jail on Aug. 17, according to jail records.
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