Posted on Wed, Jul. 09, 2003
Mother accused in child's death
Eastover woman allegedly gave daughter, 4, lethal doses of painkillers
By LORA HINES
Staff Writer
An Eastover mother was accused Tuesday of killing her 4-year-old daughter with painkillers.
Windie Whitaker Edgeington, 25, of 1160 Louis Leconte Road, was charged with homicide by child abuse in the June death of her daughter, Katelynn Edgeington.
Her bail hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. today. She was in the Richland County jail Tuesday.
Investigators say Edgeington had given her daughter prescription drugs at least twice before Katelynn died June 27 at the VA hospital in Columbia.
Results from preliminary toxicology tests show Katelynn had been given codeine and Demerol, both adult prescription painkillers, said Richland County Coroner Gary Watts.
"We're still waiting for more analysis," Watts said. "We don't know the concentration levels that were given." He said he hopes to have more information later in the week.
When Windie Edgeington called 911 about 1:30 p.m. June 27, she told dispatchers her daughter wasn't breathing, sheriff's investigators said.
Katelynn was pronounced dead at 2:50 p.m. at the hospital.
Watts said Edgeington told coroner's investigators her daughter had complained of nausea and was vomiting before she called 911.
She didn't tell investigators she had given her daughter drugs, he said.
"She said her daughter hit her head on a swing set a couple days prior to the death," Watts said. "She thought the symptoms might have been caused by a head injury.
"(Katelynn) had a superficial scratch on her head. But there was not a head injury."
Deputy coroners found no other injuries, Watts said.
Watts said the coroner's office investigates all child deaths. When one deputy coroner went to the hospital to investigate Katelynn's death, another went to the Edgeington home to collect prescription medicines.
Investigators don't yet know why Edgeington gave drugs to her daughter, said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.
Edgeington became a suspect July 2 after preliminary toxicology reports came back for Katelynn.
"She lied about what she gave her child. We know they were drugs not normally given to a child," Lott said.
Katelynn's father, Jacob Edgeington, and her grandparents, Kenneth and Doris Koerner of Eastover, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Windie Edgeington has no criminal record, the State Law Enforcement Division said.
The Department of Social Services took the Edgeington's other child, 6-year-old Tiffani, into custody following Katelynn's death, said department spokesman Jerry Adams. She is living with a relative, Adams said.
The agency had no previous contact with the family, he said.
Windie Edgeington's attorney, Harry Heizer, could not be reached for comment.
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