Grandmother charged in 4-week-old baby’s death
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - A Bridgeport woman has been arrested in connection with the 2021 death of her 4-week-old granddaughter after investigators found the girl ingested drugs.
Eleanor Herman, 61, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and risk of injury to a child.
Police said they responded to a Bronx Avenue address in the Bridgeport area at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, 2021. A caller said a baby was not breathing.
“The baby girl was transported to an area hospital by her adult uncle before police arrived,” police explained in a news release. “Medical staff at the hospital pronounced the baby deceased. The baby was only 4 weeks old when she passed away.”
The medical examiner determined the manner of death was homicide by way of ingestion of drugs. They said the cause of death was acute intoxication from the combined effects of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl.
Police stated that Herman, the child’s maternal grandmother, “was the immediate and sole caregiver for the deceased infant child for more than three hours leading up to her death.”
Police said Herman has a history of heroin abuse and lived with her infant granddaughter at the time of her death.
An arrest warrant was obtained on Jan. 18 and she was taken into custody on Tuesday.
Herman’s bond was set at $250,000 with a court date scheduled for Wednesday.
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