OAKLAND PARK, Fla. – The uncle of a 2-year-old boy from Oakland Park has been arrested in connection with the toddler's death.
Richard Marcus Gibbon, 38, faces one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child after a medical examiner ruled Amari Francis' death was accidental, caused by a lethal level of methadone.
Broward Sheriff's Office detectives say Amari's mother found her son unresponsive on Gibbon's bed May 8. According to Gibbon, he was counting his methadone pills on his bed, which he takes for a lifelong condition.
Detectives concluded Gibbon displayed ongoing negligence in the care and control of his methadone pills.
In 2005, Gibbon was investigated by BSO's child protective investigations section after his 16-month-old niece was hospitalized after ingesting Gibbon's medication. He received counseling about the care of his prescriptions at that time.