Parents plead not guilty to charges after baby dies from drug overdose

BARRE, Vt. (WCAX) - The parents of a 7-month-old baby who died from a drug overdose are now facing charges. It happened in the spring, but the charges were just filed.

Barre Town Police Chief William Dodge says they had to wait months for test results to come back from an out-of-state drug lab.

What it found was that although drug paraphernalia-- a small bag-- was found lodged in the baby’s airway, a high level of drugs in the infant’s system ultimately caused the death.

A combination of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl and xylazine-- which is a veterinary tranquilizer-- was found in the infant.

The baby’s parents, Christopher Wicker, 34, and Brianna Wicker, 25, both of Barre Town, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty with death resulting.

“The cause of death was an acute intoxication of mixed drugs... There was a foreign object consistent with what is commonly seen as packaging of narcotics that was found in the child’s throat,” Dodge said.

Police say the Wickers have already been released and could face significant sentences in this case as both charges are felonies.

Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved.