Massachusetts father pleads guilty in toddler’s overdose death

Crime

The Onset man was sentenced to serve one year in jail. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of six to eight years in state prison.

A 34-year-old Onset man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges related to his toddler son’s 2022 overdose death.

Donald Humes pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and two counts of reckless endangerment of a child in Brockton Superior Court, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Judge Daniel O’Shea sentenced him to 2 ½ years in jail with one year to serve and the remainder suspended for two years. Once released, he’ll be on probation for two years and have to remain drug and alcohol free. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of six to eight years in state prison.

According to the DA’s office, Wareham police received a 911 call from Humes at about 4:34 p.m. on April 24, 2022, reporting that his 2 ½-year-old son, Cameron Humes, was unresponsive and not breathing. Police and emergency medical personnel responded to the family’s home on Waban Avenue, where they found the toddler unresponsive and began life-saving measures. 

The boy was transported to Tobey Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Cameron’s manner of death to be acute methadone intoxication. 

“The investigation showed Donald Humes was the only adult at home at the time, and was responsible for supervising the children when he knew there was methadone in the house,” the DA’s office said. “Additionally, part of the culpability was failing to realize something was wrong with Cameron Humes and that he was in need of medical attention.”