Hit-and-run call leads police to arrest Carnegie man for young son’s death

CARNEGIE, Pa. — A Carnegie man is charged in the death of his 4-year-old son who died of fentanyl toxicity in May, police said.

Officers were initially called on May 7 after multiple cars were struck during a hit-and-run, according to a criminal complaint. The driver, 36-year-old Van Redding, was taking his son to a hospital, where the boy later died.

Redding told officers at the hospital that his son, Avant Redding, became sick after eating off a coffee table in the living room of his apartment on Hulton Street.

Investigators went to Redding’s apartment and found medical marijuana, pills and a white power that contained fentanyl, the complaint said.

According to police, Redding admitted to selling the fentanyl from his home.

Redding is charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child and possession with intent to deliver.

“I can’t believe it. It’s like getting hit in the head with a baseball bat. For a second you don’t know if it’s real,” neighbor David Westfall said.

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