Baby's Fentanyl Death: Dad Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter

SKOKIE, IL — The father of an infant found dead last year in unincorporated Maine Township has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

Michael Piazza, 40, was arrested Monday in connection with the May 2021 death of his 33-day-old son in the 9600 block of Biano Terrace, authorities said.

An autopsy found that the infant, identified as J.P. in court documents, died as a result of combined drug toxicity from three forms of fentanyl, and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office ruled his death a homicide, according to prosecutors.

J.P.'s mother was being treated for opiate addition at the time of his birth, and the baby boy spent the first 13 days of his life being monitored for symptoms of withdrawal after being diagnosed with prenatal drug exposure, Assistant State's Attorney Mary McMahon said Tuesday at Piazza's first court appearance.

McMahan said the infant was last seen by a doctor about a week after he was placed into the care of his parents and two weeks before his death, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

On the morning of May 24, 2021, J.P.'s mother came into the bedroom of their Des Plaines apartment after spending the night on the couch while Piazza took care of their child, the prosecutor said.

"[She] found [Piazza] sleeping on their queen-size bed. J.P. was also on the bed," McMahon said. "J.P. was cold to the touch and not responsive."

The infant was taken to Lutheran General Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. The initial results of an autopsy were inconclusive, McMahon said, but a Cook County Medical Examiner report completed in October 2021 found fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and despropionyl fentanyl in the child's heart and blood tissue.

In an interview with Cook County Sheriff's Police investigators, Piazza admitted having bought two bags of heroin, which he used throughout the day before his son was found dead, including snorting it in the bathroom prior to preparing a bottle and feeding his child, McMahon said.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office said the baby's mother was also taken into custody for questioning Monday, but she was released without charges, according to the Cook Coutny Sherif's Office.

Cook County Associate Judge Frank Andreou ordered Piazza to remain jailed unless he posts the $30,000 cash portion of his bail. Piazza is due back in court May 11 for a bond review hearing.