Charges: Hopkins parents ignored 9-year-old daughter's asthma, leading to her death

Parents of a nine-year-old Hopkins girl have been charged in their daughter's death, with authorities accusing them of being negligent in treating her asthma.

Anthony Wayne Modrow and Rachel Lynn Modrow, both 34, are charged in connection to Amy Modrow's death on Feb. 17.

The charges allege Anthony forgot to refill his daughter's inhaler, which had been empty for a month, with Amy then suffering an asthma attack at her friend's house during a sleepover on Feb. 9 and into the early morning hours of Feb. 10.

It was later discovered that the "rescue inhaler" used by Amy was her grandmother's, and not specifically issued to her.

A parent of Amy's friend called Anthony to inform him of his daughter's active asthma attack. The complaint says Anthony "proceeded to sigh" and handed the phone to Rachel. The parent informed the mother that Amy's breathing was getting worse and that she "wasn't faking it," saying she couldn't breathe.

Rachel asked for Amy to be driven to their home. The parent offered to bring Amy to a doctor, but the Modrows refused the offer, even with Amy asking to be taken to one.

Officers later contacted a family friend, who informed police he received a call from Amy's aunt around 10 a.m. on Feb. 10. Her aunt stated that Amy needed help after the family friend went to their home and noticed Amy's "skin was blue, she could not raise her arms, and she was crying."

Rachel ran a steam bath for Amy and eventually the family friend insisted that she needed to go to the hospital.

Amy was kept in an intensive care unit until Feb. 17, 2023, when doctors announced she was brain dead due to a loss of oxygen related to the asthma attack.

A search warrant executed on Amy's phone found that she wasn't taken to the hospital until over three hours after she first told someone she needed to go.

According to the complaint, Anthony told investigators Amy's asthma issues started on Feb. 8 but she reportedly felt better when she went to her friend's house for a sleepover.

He admitted his daughter had been "wheezing, not able to breathe, crying, upset, and not feeling well" in the days leading up to her death.

Multiple doctors said Amy would've had a much better chance to survive with earlier medical intervention for someone who has asthma. Additionally, a doctor noted that a steam bath is not a recognized treatment for asthma.

"The doctor emphasized the importance of an asthma patient having a rescue inhaler and noted that using another person’s inhaler may not be effective because it may not contain the proper medication," the charges say.

The Modrow's are charged with one count each of 2nd-degree manslaughter. If convicted, they face up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Rachel will next appear in court on May 15, while Anthony is set to be back in court on June 7.