Crime
The 5-week-old daughter allegedly died malnourished and with drugs in her system, weighing less than three pounds.
A Dorchester couple is facing manslaughter charges after their 5-week-old daughter died malnourished and with drugs in her system, weighing less than three pounds, prosecutors said.
Raynell Reed, 31, and Gerard Winn, 52, were indicted on one count of manslaughter each by a Suffolk County grand jury on Friday and arraigned in court Monday. Both pleaded not guilty.
“It’s difficult to conceive of something more tragic than a child being born and then ignored to the extent it leads to death by malnourishment and sheer neglect,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.
Reed and Winn were the parents of a 5-week-old infant, who was born Dec. 5, 2024 and died a month later in January, according to the Suffolk County DA’s Office. The couple lived together on Cheney Street in Dorchester when Reed found out she was pregnant in September of 2024, prosecutors said.
The infant was due in February, but Reed gave birth at home at least two months premature, prosecutors said. During the child’s life, prosecutors allege the infant “failed to gain or maintain weight and was severely malnourished.”
“Reed and Winn never sought any medical care for the infant as her health continued to significantly deteriorate,” prosecutors said in a statement.
Reed called 911 to report the baby was not breathing the morning of Jan. 9, and she was transported to Boston Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. The baby only weighed 2.5 pounds, the DA said.
The Chief Medical Examiner determined the child’s death to be due to “acute intoxication from the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine, in a premature infant with malnourishment and sepsis,” prosecutors allege.
“Toxicology confirmed the presence of both fentanyl and cocaine in the infant’s heart blood and liver blood,” according to court documents. “The Commonwealth further alleges that the defendants used illegal substances in the infant’s presence, resulting in her exposure to these substances.”
“The allegation that the parents were using dangerous drugs in the newborn’s presence only adds to the terrible aspects of this crime,” Hayden said.
Both Reed and Winn were held on $100,000 bail and committed to jail. They are due back in court Dec. 18.
Lawyers for Reed and Winn did not return a request for comment Monday evening.
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