Ohio babysitter charged with murder in death of 3-year-old given fatal dose of Benadryl

Bethany Bruner and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY NETWORK
Updated ·2 min read
1

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the amount of diphenhydramine. It was 5,000 ng/ml.

An Ohio man has been charged with murder after police say he gave a fatal overdose of Benadryl to a toddler he was babysitting.

Randy Mollett, 35, is charged with murder, reckless homicide and endangering children, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records. Officers took him into custody Wednesday, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's office.

It's unclear whether he has an attorney.

On April 13 at 6:15 p.m. deputies responded to a call about an unresponsive child at a home in Darbydale, just southwest of Columbus. They found a 3-year-old who Mollett was babysitting at his home for a family friend. Mollett told deputies the child had a medical emergency and a seizure, according to the sheriff's office.

Paramedics took the victim to Nationwide Children's Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. An investigation determined Mollett gave the child more than 5,000 ng/mL of diphenhydramine, a type of antihistamine known as an active ingredient in Benadryl, leading to the child's death, according to court records.

The sheriff's office has not identified the child.

Nationwide Children's Hospital is pictured in Columbus, Ohio.
Nationwide Children's Hospital is pictured in Columbus, Ohio.

Mollett did not receive permission to give Benadryl

Court records show that Mollett had been taking care of the child for about three days and the child's parents had not given him permission to provide Benadryl.

Mollett appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court Thursday on the reckless homicide and endangering children charges. Judge Eileen Paley set his bond at $1 million for each count, and he remained in the Franklin County Jail on Thursday.

His first court appearance on the murder charge is scheduled for Friday.

In 2009, Mollett was convicted of felony child endangerment and given an eight-year prison sentence, court records show. In that case, he admitted to beating a 23-month-old, causing broken bones in both of the child's hands.

Is Benadryl safe for kids?

Benadryl is pictured among other medicine in Falls Church, Virginia, on Dec. 30, 2020.
Benadryl is pictured among other medicine in Falls Church, Virginia, on Dec. 30, 2020.

Benadryl is generally considered dangerous for infants or children 2 or under, according to Medical News Today. Only under a medical doctor's instructions, small doses may be given to infants between 2 to 5.

Benadryl's official website advises which of their medicines are safe to consume based off age and other factors.

In rare instances, an antihistamine can cause a fetal overdose or serious heart rhythm disturbances that result in death, according to the Mount Sinai Health System. All medicines should be kept in in child-proof bottles and out of reach of children.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio babysitter charged after 3-year-old given fatal dose of Benadryl