A Series of 8 Illicit Fentanyl Intoxication Deaths in Infants and Toddlers.

We report 8 children younger than 2 years who died from acute illicit fentanyl intoxications in Connecticut between 2020 and 2022.The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (CT OCME) investigates all unexpected, violent, and suspicious deaths in Connecticut. The CT OCME's electronic database was searched for fentanyl deaths by age.

Xylazine, a Veterinary Tranquilizer, Detected in 42 Accidental Fentanyl Intoxication Deaths.

Xylazine is an emerging adulterant with fentanyl in fatal drug intoxications, which has public health, safety, and criminal investigative implications. Xylazine is a nonnarcotic sedative used for analgesia and muscle relaxation exclusively in veterinary medicine. Its chemical structure is similar to clonidine and acts as a central α-2 agonist which may cause bradycardia and transient hypertension followed by hypotension.

Neuropathologic Examination in Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy and Childhood: Recommendations for Highest Diagnostic Yield and Cost-Effectiveness in Forensic Settings.

In infants and toddlers (less than four years of age), determination of cause and manner of death often requires a complete autopsy. Few evidence-based guidelines exist regarding optimum nervous system sectioning in this population. Over a six-month interval and using a comprehensive section protocol, we categorized cases having neuropathological findings that were critical (Class A), contributory (Class B), or noncontributory (Class C) to the final cause and manner of death.