CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a Chattanooga toddler as a homicide after an autopsy report found that a pain patch caused his death.
Chattanooga Police spokesman Tim McFarland tells the Times Free Press that officers are working with the medical examiner's office and the district attorney's office as they investigate the death of Demarcus Bryant, who was almost 2.
An autopsy finds that Bryant died on March 22 due to a 25-microgram fentanyl patch. The report lists the manner of death as homicide because the patch was placed on the boy's back, as the report states it, "by someone else."
A physician at Highland Pediatrics tells the newspaper that fentanyl can be used to treat children, but is usually reserved for cases of extreme pain.