Watch CBS News

Oakland Mother Charged In Cocaine Ingestion Death Of Her 2-Year-Old Son

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- An Oakland woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse for the death in May of her 2-year-old son, who ingested cocaine while in her care, authorities said Monday.

Fayson Howard, 39, is scheduled to appear in Alameda County Superior Court today to possibly enter a plea to the charges involving the death of her son at her apartment in the 3600 block of 39th Avenue on May 23.

Prosecutors didn't disclose the boy's name, identifying him in court documents as John Doe.

Oakland police Sgt. Eric Milina wrote in a probable cause statement that Howard was the primary caregiver for the boy at her apartment and an autopsy disclosed that his cause of death was acute cocaine ingestion.

Howard admitted to police that she was using cocaine and was taking care of him at the time of his death.

Howard was arrested recently at the Magnolia Women's Recovery Program in Hayward, which is a long-term residential substance abuse program for pregnant and postpartum women with young children.

Howard is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $130,000 bail.

© Copyright 2014 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.