SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WKRC) – A mother was accused of giving her child a fatal dose of Benadryl in an attempt to deal with his “behavioral issues.”
Deputies with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an unattended death at 9:40 a.m. on January 19, 2026, according to a press release from the department.
First responders arrived to the home to find an unresponsive 10-year-old boy who would later pass away, authorities said.
A toxicology report on the victim found that his cause of death was an overdose of diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter medicine found in Benadryl, according to local outlet WNYT. Following this discovery, the victim’s mother, 43-year-old Rebecca Jordan, was arrested.
“The amount and the dosage here is far beyond what is even, what a reasonable juror would expect is appropriate for a parent in this situation,” said Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby. “I think it was an effort to parent and deal with in a neglectful way obviously but to administer and to try to deal with some sort of perceived behavioral issues.”
Prosecutors said there was no indication that the victim requested Benadryl to help him sleep.
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Jordan was charged with second-degree manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to News 10.