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Dorchester Parents Arraigned on Manslaughter Charges in Death of 5-Week-Old

Prosecutors cite autopsy findings that the malnourished premature infant died from drug exposure.

Overview

  • Raynell Reed, 31, and Gerard Winn, 52, were indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury and pleaded not guilty in Superior Court on Nov. 24.
  • A judge ordered each held on $100,000 cash bail with a return court date set for Dec. 18.
  • The baby was born at home on Dec. 5, 2024, about two months early, and over five weeks failed to gain weight and received no medical care, according to prosecutors.
  • The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as acute intoxication from fentanyl and cocaine in a premature infant with malnourishment and sepsis, with toxicology confirming both drugs in heart and liver blood.
  • Prosecutors allege the parents used illegal substances in the infant’s presence, while defense attorneys pointed to Reed’s recent addiction treatment and said Winn has cooperated and maintains his innocence.