COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 1-year-old boy died from a fentanyl overdose in February and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Franklin County Coroner's Office.
Dymar Byrd was taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital on Feb. 27 where he died. According to the coroner's autopsy report, the boy died from acute toxic effects of fentanyl.
No charges have been filed yet, but the coroner's office alerted the Columbus Division of Police and detectives are investigating Byrd's death.
“Even before we issue a final cause or manner of death, if we have reasonable suspicion that there is a safety issue or children in the home are at risk, we have a mechanism or network to release that info,” said Dr. Mike Caplan, a forensic pathologist and deputy coroner for the coroner's office.
“Anytime you are doing an autopsy on a deceased infant or child, who is otherwise healthy, who hasn't had a chance to live their life yet, those are extremely difficult,” Caplan said.
The coroner's office has investigated several baby deaths because of drug overdoses in just the last two years.
“I've had at least two cases myself where there have been fatalities in infants and toddlers related to fentanyl,” Caplan said.
For children aged 3 and under, the coroner's office has closed the cases. In 2024, there was one overdose death. There were two homicide overdose deaths the year before. In 2022, there was one accidental overdose death, one homicide overdose death and one undetermined.
There is not an exact number of cases that are still open and under investigation.
“There's a certain period of development where kids are very vulnerable to ingesting medications, illicit or prescription,” Caplan said.
Caplan said it's his office's responsibility to get awareness out to prevent these types of deaths.
"Usually between 8 to 12 months, that's the time where their mobility is increasing. They Learn to put stuff in their mouth. They have no fear. They are very exploratory. That's the peak age," Caplan said.
10TV reached out to Columbus police for an interview but they did not respond.