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Police: Toddler found unresponsive inside local home died from fentanyl overdose; parents charged

MUNHALL, Pa. — A toddler who was found unresponsive inside a home in Munhall in May died of a fentanyl overdose, which was ruled a homicide. Now, his parents are facing charges, according to police documents.

James Kraft and Paige Hufnagel are facing several charges, including criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

Robert Kraft, 2, was found unresponsive inside the home on May 12. He died just hours later at UPMC Children’s Hospital.

Police said the home was in deplorable conditions and there were thousands of heroin baggies inside.

Police paperwork says that there were also two other children inside the home at the time, a 4-year-old and a 7-year-old.

The next day, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Kraft’s death a homicide caused by fentanyl toxicity, according to the police report.

According to the criminal complaint, police say there were too many bags of heroin in the home to count. Investigators say Robbie got ahold of some and died.

Detectives say they saw stamp bags of heroin and pills throughout a bedroom, plus needles and other paraphernalia that are commonly used to ingest heroin.

Some of the heroin bags were also near Lego toys and a child’s toothbrush.

Police say Robbie’s older brother, who was just 4 years old, also tested positive for fentanyl, but survived.

When detectives spoke to that child, they reported him saying, “Robbie is dead. He ate something. He’s dead.”

The couple’s other two children were taken into protective custody.

James Kraft and Hufnagel were arrested Thursday morning. They are at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment.


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