WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest Friday of Jason Moore, 36, and Amanda Moore, 35, of Thorndale, PA for negligently and recklessly exposing child victims to fentanyl and other opioids, causing the death of a 4-year-old victim.
The co-defendants have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person. Both co-defendants turned themselves in to district court in Downingtown on August 11, 2023. Bail was set at $250,000.00 10% each, and both were remanded to Chester County Prison. Other bail conditions include no contact with any children including their own.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for both defendants on August 23, 2023, in District Court 15402, MDJ Feldman in Downingtown.
“This is a devastating tragedy due to the defendants’ complete failure as parents. By bringing deadly drugs into their home they exposed their 4-year-old to this poison resulting in this innocent child’s death. They failed to meet even their most basic duties of responsibility and care,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. “This case sadly demonstrates the extreme dangers of this epidemic and its ongoing threat to our community, including our most vulnerable children. We thank the Chester County Detectives for their thorough investigation. We will work tirelessly to ensure justice for the child victim.”
The criminal complaint alleges that on November 29, 2022, at approximately 10:48 a.m., the Caln Township Police Department responded to a 911 call for a report of an unresponsive 4-year-old child at a residence in Thorndale, Caln Township, Chester County.
At the scene police observed the co-defendant Jason Moore performing CPR on the unresponsive child. Medics arrived shortly after, took over medical care, and transported the victim to Children’s Hospital (CHOP) in King of Prussia, PA, where he was declared dead.
Investigators learned that both defendants had left the residence at approximately 7:00 a.m. on November 29, 2022., leaving the victim and a younger sibling in the care of a 13-year-old forced to stay home from school.
Investigators did not find any signs of injury, bruising or scratches and it appeared that the victim was deceased for some time prior to being found by his older brother at approximately 10:37 a.m.
After an initial autopsy by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, there were no obvious signs of the cause of death. Detectives returned to the residence to collect items that were identified as coming in contact with the victim. Detectives collected two clear water bottles containing unknown liquids, a blanket, and a half-eaten lollipop. The lollipop was retrieved from the trash can inside the defendants’ bedroom. Each item was tested and on January 23, 2023, the stick portion of the lollipop was found to be positive for trace amounts of fentanyl.
On January 18, 2023, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office reported that toxicology testing performed on the victim confirmed the presence of fentanyl in his body. It was later confirmed that fentanyl was found in the victim’s cardiac blood and brain tissue. A forensic pathologist from the coroner’s office opined that the fentanyl would have taken approximately three hours to metabolize into the compound found in the child’s blood. The cause of death was determined to be Homicide via Fentanyl Toxicity.
On January 20, 2023, investigators learned that Jason Moore used fentanyl in the residence where the victim had died. When detectives retrieved the defendant’s phone from his vehicle they observed drug paraphernalia on the driver’s seat. The drug paraphernalia was seized and tested positive for fentanyl.
Investigators learned that the night before the death, the victim had complained of a headache and was clammy at approximately 7:30 p.m. The co-defendants gave the victim Tylenol and a bath before he went to bed. The victim fell asleep on the couch, waking up only once at 4 a.m., before returning to sleep on the couch. The victim never moved from the spot. The co-defendants made their 13-year-old stay home to watch other children, ages 4 and 3, while they went to work at approximately 7:00-7:15 a.m.
At approximately 10:35 a.m., police determined that Amanda Moore texted the 13-year-old to check in, and he stated that the 4-year-old needed to be woken up since he was still sleeping. The 13-year-old communicated that he could not wake the child. Co-defendant Jason Moore returned home and called 911 at approximately 10:48 a.m. Investigators later learned that Jason Moore delayed calling 911 to clean up drug paraphernalia from the area of the bedroom where the child had been found.
On January 20, 2023, both Jason and Amanda Moore provided hair samples to test for evidence of narcotic use.
Chester County Detectives learned that Amanda Moore’s hair sample tested positive for fentanyl, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. Another hair sample was taken from her in March to provide an approximate timeline of ingestion of drug usage, if any existed.
On April 6, 2023, detectives learned that Jason Moore cleaned up empty baggies and other drug paraphernalia prior to calling 911. They also discovered that there were empty wrappers and baggies containing fentanyl that fell to the ground that the victim could have consumed.
On May 30, 2023, the NMS Laboratory results of Amanda Moore’s hair segmentation test confirmed fentanyl use. NMS Laboratory opined that Amanda Moore was a chronic and repeated user of the narcotics found in her hair.
The Chester County Detectives investigated. Senior Deputy District Attorney Erin O’Brien is the assigned prosecutor.
Information, a criminal complaint, or an arrest is not a declaration of guilt. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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