Toddler dies after mother admits doping him with anti-depressants

A mother in England faces a long prison sentence today after admitting killing her 21-month-old son by doping him to make him sleep.

Laura-Jane Vestuto (aged 28) crushed anti-depressant pills prescribed to her and fed them to toddler Renzo.

However, after a month, Renzo woke with breathing problems and died after being taken to hospital.

Tests showed the drug had built up in his body and he had at least twice the safe adult dose in his body.

Traces of Amitriptyline were found on baby medicine feeders but police believe he may have also been given the drug in his juice or milk.

Vestuto, of Clapton, east London, appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink and pleaded guilty to causing or allowing his death on September 2, 2007, on the basis that she caused it.

An alternative charge of manslaughter was left to lie on file after she pleaded not guilty.

Vestuto was remanded in custody to be sentenced later this month and faces up to 14 years in jail.

Defence counsel Isabella Forshall asked the judge for a pre-sentence probation report.

Outside court, Det Insp Keith Braithwaite said: “This drug was commonly used as an anti-depressant in the 1970s and 1980s but is prescribed to people in pain to make them sleep.

“Vestuto was giving Renzo small regular dozes but a child cannot break it down in his body.

“He had been a perfectly fit and healthy child.

“We found traces on children’s oral medication syringes where it could have been mixed with other child medications.

“We believe it was also mixed with milk and juices but could not find any traces on bottles and beakers by the time the toxicology analysis was concluded.”

The baby’s father, a baker, had no idea what Vestuto was doing. They have since split up.