NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The parents of a 4-year-old boy who died after a possible exposure to fentanyl at a family shelter in Brooklyn earlier this week were charged, authorities announced.
Both parents—26-year-old Miriam Elkayam and 32-year-old Witzchok Sklar—were charged with abandonment of a child and criminal possession of a controlled substance. They were arraigned on March 5 and got supervised release.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of death and whether charges should be upgraded.
The child was barely breathing around 8 a.m. on Tuesday when police responded to the Women in Need (WIN) shelter located at 4612 Glenwood Rd. in East Flatbush.
Officers used naloxone, an overdose reversal drug, to try to stabilize the boy has not yet been identified.
The boy was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center where he died.
Investigators seized drug paraphernalia from the shelter and were in the process of testing it, police said.
A hazmat team was at the scene for at least 12 hours.
In a statement, WIN said it was "devastated" by the incident.
"We are working closely with the NYPD to support their ongoing investigation. We remain committed as ever to fostering a safe and supportive," the shelter provider said.
