Philly woman charged in death of her 10-month-old son, who was exposed to powerful animal tranquilizer

The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday said a 32-year-old Philadelphia woman has been charged with causing the death of her 10-month-old son through exposure to xylazine, a powerful animal tranquilizer that has been increasingly abused in connection with illegal drugs.

Vanessa Hampton, of the city’s Frankford section, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the 2022 death of her son, the prosecutor’s office said. She was taken into custody last week and was awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

In November 2022, Medford Township police were called to a residence for a report of an unresponsive infant, authorities said. The boy, whose name was not made public, was taken to Virtua Hospital in Voorhees, then transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he died about a week later.

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and ruled the boy’s death a homicide, concluding that he died of drug intoxication after being exposed to xylazine.

Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is a non-opioid veterinary medication not approved for use in people, but has been found in the illegal drug supply and has been linked to overdose deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Xylazine “can slow down the brain and breathing, make the heart beat slower, and lower blood pressure in people, is especially dangerous when combined with opioids like fentanyl,” the CDC said.

Last month, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law a bill classifying xylazine a controlled substance, which makes it illegal to possess except for legal veterinary uses. The drug is used to sedate large animals.