Man convicted for drug-related death of daughter | News, sports, jobs

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – A man will spend at least 12 years in prison for his role in the death of his infant daughter.

Cameron Javon Cothran was sentenced Tuesday by Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra to 12 to 17.5 years in prison for the accidental death of his 13-month-old child from a fentanyl overdose, prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said. Flanagan claimed that Cothran deserved this punishment.

Flanagan said his office was seeking the highest possible charge in the case, which is involuntary manslaughter. He indicated that this is exactly the same charge as if Cothran had sold drugs to someone who ultimately died of a drug overdose.

In this case, Flanagan said there was a bag of fentanyl residue in Cothran’s home and his son put the contents of the bag in her mouth. DNA from the bag confirmed this, according to Flanagan. A law enforcement investigation ultimately led to this conviction and sentencing, Flanagan said.

On April 24, East Ohio Regional Hospital notified Martins Ferry police of an unresponsive infant who was taken to the emergency room for treatment. The child had a white residue on her hands that was tested by an officer and tested positive for fentanyl. Immediately afterward, Martins Ferry officers contacted the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and the Bellaire Police Department. These jurisdictions were notified because the residence where the child accessed the drug was in Bellaire, according to Flanagan. Officers immediately cordoned off the accident scene and applied for a search warrant. This quick action allowed them to preserve the evidence that would have been used against Cothran if the case had gone to trial, Flanagan said.

The child was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in Pittsburgh, but later died.

“This case is so incredibly disturbing. Mr Cothran’s criminal record was appalling. During the sentencing hearing, Cothran blamed his own addiction for the reason he possessed fentanyl. Flanagan said after the sentencing. “I don’t agree with it. Based on the evidence our investigators have gathered, including the large amount of cash seized at the crime scene, we believe that Mr. Cothran was in fact dealing drugs.

“Regardless, it was his drug activities that led to his daughter’s death, and that can never be undone,” he said. said the prosecutor.

Cothran, 38, is a Cleveland resident who lived in Bellaire, according to Sheriff David Lucas. He raised the child alone because the mother was in prison.

Flanagan noted that in formulating the appropriate sentence, Vavra took into account that Cothran had 12 prior felonies from five different cases in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, many of which were drug cases.

“His history finally caught up with him. Unfortunately, an innocent child had to pay a higher price,” said Flanagan. “The invasion of fentanyl into our society has caused enormous distress for many people, given the number of overdose deaths. In this case, Mr. Cothran had to protect his child. Instead, he provided access to one of the most powerful drugs on the street. He failed her in so many ways.”

Flanagan thanked Belmont County, Bellaire and Martins Ferry law enforcement officials for their combined efforts, especially Detective Dustin Hilderbrand, who led the investigation.

“These officers do their work in a very professional manner. However, they are human and are affected by the number of overdose calls they have to respond to. Every overdose case is difficult for them, and in a case like this involving a child, it affects them even more. We greatly appreciate their efforts,” Flanagan added.