Woman charged in child overdose death in Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Waterloo woman is arrested and brought back to Polk County and charged with the death of a two-year-old child in her care.

Des Moines police say 38-year-old Amanda Leonard-Helum was driving her boyfriend's son and another child from Waterloo to Des Moines when she noticed the two-year-old child had ingested pills.

But Leonard-Helum did not take the child to the hospital. Instead, investigators say she chose to watch over the child overnight.

The child was found dead on the morning of June 27th at an apartment at 3600 E. Douglas.

Toxicology tests showed the child had taken medication prescribed to Leonard-Helum.

Leonard-Helum is now in the Polk County Jail on $25,000 bond. She was arrested Tuesday in Waterloo.


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