Death of Kentucky Boy, 8, Caused by Fentanyl, Not Allergic Reaction to Strawberries, Coroner Says 

The death of an 8-year-old boy in Kentucky believed to have been caused by an allergic reaction to strawberries, has been linked to fentanyl, according to multiple reports.

Citing the Hopkins County Coroner's Office, WTHI-TV, WFIE, and WEHT reported on Wednesday, April 10, that the Kentucky State Medical Examiner's Office ruled Trey Major Harris' cause of death as "Fentanyl Intoxication" and the manner of death as "Undetermined."

PEOPLE has reached out to the Hopkins County Coroner's Office for comment.

The Madisonville Police Department explained in a previous press release that it received a call about a boy "not breathing and unresponsive at his home" around 6:30 AM on Friday, March 15.

Trey's family told authorities he had eaten several strawberries from a school fundraiser the night prior and had begun showing signs of an allergic reaction.

The family told authorities he was given Benadryl, soaked in a bath, and later taken to an emergency room after his symptoms persisted. After returning home having not been evaluated, Trey went to sleep and was found unresponsive.

The Hopkins County Health Departmentissued a warning at the time, asking individuals not to eat strawberries purchased at the fundraiser and said they would be examined by the FDA and state lab.

In an update on Tuesday, April 9, the department said they tested "negative," noting they were -

Here Are the Celebrities Under the Costu,...

"no longer issuing a caution concerning them."

Trey's stepfather, Antonio Person, was arrested after police issued a search warrant on his home on Tuesday, March 26, and found a firearm, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.

According to a media release from the Madisonville Police Department, Person, 33, was charged with trafficking fentanyl, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

He was booked into the Hopkins County Jail, where records reviewed by PEOPLE show he was also charged with second-degree manslaughter and is expected to appear in court on Friday, April 12.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Madisonville Police Department for comment.

An obituary for Trey remembered him as someone who "left an indelible mark on all blessed to know him."

He is said to have had "special interests in baseball, basketball, skateboarding, and football" and riding his four-wheeler.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The obituary adds that Trey "dreamed of becoming a police officer in adulthood because he loved helping others. He was a fun, loving child who adored playing pranks on his mom especially, and laughing."

Related Articles

Follow Us

What the Pentagon Has Learned? Are UFOs ,...