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1-year-old recovering, dad charged after baby's heroin overdose

A 1-year-old boy is recovering from what investigators say was an overdose of heroin. His father, an admitted regular heroin user, is charged with child abuse.

Posted Updated

By
Bryan Mims
, WRAL reporter
SPRING LAKE, N.C. — A 1-year-old boy is recovering from what investigators say was an overdose of heroin. His father, an admitted regular heroin user, is charged with child abuse.
Luis Castellon, 26, told police that he fell asleep in his bedroom while the baby stayed awake. When he woke, he says the boy was not breathing, and he called 911.

Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West says a drug screening on the child tested positive for opiates. Investigators say the baby had a number of internal health problems, including damage to his lungs and swelling in his liver, but he is expected to recover.

According to the warrant for Castellon's arrest, paramedics gave the child Narcan – used to treat opiate overdoses – and he received a Narcan IV in the hospital.

"We think it was heroin and was left exposed in the home somewhere that he somehow ingested and had a reaction," West said. Detectives say they found baggies of white residue in the bedroom.

Castellon's grandmother, Shelby Pearsall, denied there were ever drugs in her house, where Castellon and the boy lived.

"Anytime anything like this serious happens that could have led to someone's death, we want to try to take the most aggressive stance," West said. "We will go on from here and try to get justice in the case, ultimately."

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