COLUMBUS – A Southeast Side woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after an investigation determined that a 12-year-old boy died of an overdose of opioids in her home in July.
Sheila Hutchins, 60 was charged after a report indicated that Kanye Champelle had died on July 12 from an overdose of fentanyl and acetylfentanyl suffered two days earlier inside Hutchins’ townhome on Lakeside South Drive, according to Sgt. Stanley Latta of the Homicide Unit.
Officers and fire personnel responding to a report of a juvenile that was apparently not breathing inside the residence on the afternoon of July 10 found Champelle, who was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead on July 12, Latta said.
Although no foul play was suspected initially, Latta says a toxicology examination performed as part of an autopsy determined that Kanye had evidence of the drugs in his system.
Homicide Unit detectives determined that Hutchins left Kanye alone in the home with five juveniles present and no supervision and, during that time, the child was exposed to the opioids, Latta said.
This case remains under investigation.
This is the 102nd homicide of 2017 in Columbus.