DXM News: "Father Sentenced For Children's Deaths"

[rfgdxm]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/36383...377/detail.html

Father Sentenced For Children's Deaths From Cough Syrup
POSTED: 11:24 AM MDT August 10, 2004
UPDATED: 7:10 PM MDT August 10, 2004

An Aurora father accused of giving his two children a deadly dose of cough syrup has learned his fate.

Robert Henderson, 29, was sentenced Tuesday to the maximum of six years in prison after having pleaded guilty to reduced charges of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault.

Henderson had originally been charged with child abuse resulting in death in connection with the August 2002 deaths of his two children.

Five-year-old Killian and 4-year-old Rhapsody Henderson swallowed a large dose of a store-brand liquid cold medicine, similar to Nyquil, before they took their afternoon nap on Aug. 8, according to investigators. They never woke up.

It was an emotional day in court Tuesday with both prosecution and defense attorneys shedding tears when they spoke before the judge. Both attorneys said they know Henderson didn't intend to kill his kids, and that the case is simply a tragedy.

"I think overall he's a really good guy. I know that he loved his kids, and I don't think he killed them purposely," said family friend James Neff.

"Certainly, there are no winners. Two beautiful kids are gone and there's nothing we can do about that now," said Robert Chappel, a chief deputy district attorney.

During the sentencing, Henderson, clad in an orange jumpsuit, kept his head bowed. He did not speak and his family and friends did not speak on his behalf either.

At first, Henderson denied he gave the kids cough medicine, then later admitted he did, police said.

Nyquil and equivalent over-the-counter brands use Dextromethorphan, which affects the brain and is found in many over-the-counter cough syrups. It can be deadly in large quantities, but doctors said it likely would take several times the recommended dose to kill an otherwise healthy child.

"The deaths of Rhapsody and Robert were not only tragic they were also completely needless," James J. Peters, Arapahoe County district attorney, had said. "The point this case makes is that adult medications are for adults and are often lethal for children."

The children's mother, Fay Henderson, now lives in Georgia and a family friend said illness and stress prevented her from attending the hearing.

[jersey_emt]

What a horrible tragedy for everybody involved.

[Ahhhh Tahh]

god, how could he allow those poor kids to do that...

[xeroc00l]

wow how much did they take to die? And how much would an average person need to take to die? I mean im 5'11 190lbs but thats just cause I work outa lot.

If i take enough am I likely to die at a 3rd or 4th plateu dose?

[guitarman]

There's some really messed up people in this world.

[levomethorphan]

Nyquil and equivalent over-the-counter brands use Dextromethorphan, which affects the brain and is found in many over-the-counter cough syrups. It can be deadly in large quantities, but doctors said it likely would take several times the recommended dose to kill an otherwise healthy child.

I doubt dextromethorphan was the deadly culprit. NyQuil contains large amounts of acetaminophen, doxylamine succinate, and pseudoephedrine, all three of which are toxic in large doses. Also, there is a considerable amount of alcohol present. Blaming the deaths on dextromethorphan alone is disingenuous, to say the least.

[jersey_emt]

^^ Very true.