Parents Charged in Infant Daughter's Cocaine-Related Death
A couple who publicly mourned their eight-day-old daughter are facing charges after authorities found cocaine on her pacifier, leading to her death from brain damage.
Justin Soll and Shannon Wester are facing charges in connection with the death of their infant daughter, Emilia, who died at just eight days old in February. Authorities discovered cocaine on the baby's pacifier, which investigators believe led to brain damage and her subsequent death.
While the parents publicly expressed profound grief on social media platforms like Facebook, their online tributes made no mention of the circumstances surrounding their daughter's death or the presence of cocaine. Photos shared by the parents included images of Emilia's urn, hospital tags, and locks of her hair. One post from Justin Soll featured what he claimed was Emilia's first smile, accompanied by a deeply personal caption mourning her death without acknowledging his role.
Both Soll and Wester were originally indicted on multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, third-degree child endangering, and cocaine possession. Prior to their arrest, Justin Soll shared a deeply personal photo of an urn containing Emilia's ashes, her hospital tags, and a bag containing a lock of her hair. He also shared a photo with a teddy bear made from Emilia's blanket.
Shannon Wester also shared photos of Emilia's urn and other mementos. In one post, she claimed that the light had gone out of her eyes since her bereavement. In June, she uploaded a selfie, stating it was the first taken since her daughter's death four months prior.
Late last year, Justin Soll had shared his excitement about his upcoming wedding to Shannon in anticipation of Emilia's birth. The couple now face up to 11 years in prison after admitting to the involuntary manslaughter of their daughter.