A father has been found guilty of manslaughter after giving his baby Benadryl to have some ‘alone time’ with his wife. Adam Canales Jr., a Texas resident, was convicted following the tragic death of his two-month-old daughter, Athena Brigida-Kay Canales, in July 2021.
Prosecutors claimed that the father administered the sleep-inducing allergy medicine to Athena, resulting in her death, as he sought some ‘quality time’ with his wife, Sarah Canales, who is also facing manslaughter charges.
District Attorney Sunshine Stanek stated that the father regularly used over-the-counter allergy medication to sedate his children when he and his wife were seeking ‘adult time.’ According to the Lubbock-Avalanche Journal, Stanek described these actions as ‘selfish and reckless.’
“This defendant was so selfish and reckless in his actions that he caused the death of Athena,” she emphasized. “They made a habit of giving their kids, including Athena, medicine to make them sleep. When they were tired and just wanted adult time to themselves — they dosed her.”
In his defense, Canales’ attorney Kristopher Mincey argued that the incident was an accident, highlighting the complexity of managing a household with six children in Idalou, near Lubbock. Mincey pointed out the lack of communication between Canales and his wife on the day of the tragedy, leading to both administering Benadryl to Athena separately, which resulted in an unintentional fatal mistake.
On Thursday, August 28, Canales Jr. was convicted in Lubbock County and is currently awaiting sentencing. According to KCBD 11, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, his wife, Sarah Canales, is undergoing a separate trial on the same charge.
Authorities from the Lubbock County Sheriff’s office responded to a call about an unresponsive child at the family’s residence on July 11, 2024, around 4 p.m.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by KLBK, Athena was deceased upon their arrival. The police reportedly discovered various medications in the home, including cough syrups containing dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine products such as NyQuil and ZzzQuil, as reported by La Voce di New York.
Initially, Canales Jr. denied administering the drug to his daughter but later confessed. The autopsy report indicated that Athena died from ‘mixed drug toxicity,’ with diphenhydramine levels too high for an infant to survive.
Benadryl’s active ingredient is an antihistamine known for its sedative effects, but it poses significant risks to infants. Both the FDA and CDC advise against its use in children under two without medical guidance, as even small overdoses can lead to heart arrhythmias, coma, seizures, and potentially death.