Pennsylvania infant died of starvation in her bassinet just before Christmas after her parents suffered fatal drug overdoses, autopsy reveals

  • Autopsy and toxicology reports confirmed that Summer Chambers died of dehydration and starvation, the Cambria County coroner's office said
  • Coroner Jeff Lees called the case 'heart-wrenching' and ruled the infant's death homicide due to parental neglect
  • Toxicology tests indicate that 27-year-old Jason Chambers and 19-year-old Chelsea Cordaro died of acute fentanyl overdoses, according to Lee
  • Lees says the parents died on or about December 15 and the child probably on December 19 or December 20. The bodies were found December 22 

By Zoe Szathmary For Dailymail.com and Kelly Mclaughlin For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 17:06 EST, 31 January 2017 | Updated: 19:39 EST, 31 January 2017

A five-month-old Pennsylvania girl starved to death in her bassinet after her parents died of drug overdoses, according to a coroner. 

Autopsy and toxicology reports confirmed that Summer Chambers died of dehydration and starvation in the Kernville home a few days before Christmas, the Cambria County coroner's office said. 

Coroner Jeff Lees called the case 'heart-wrenching' and ruled the infant's death homicide due to parental neglect. 

Summer Chambers starved to death in her bassinet after her parents died of drug overdoses, according to a coroner 

Jason Chambers, 27, Chelsea Cardaro, 19, and their five-month-old baby Summer were all found dead in their Kernville, Pennsylvania, home in December 

Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees (left) and Johnstown Police Department Capt. Jeff Janciga (right) are pictured on Monday 

Lees, per The Tribune-Democrat, said: 'It's a heart-wrenching case for our office, law enforcement, the district attorney's office, all agencies involved. 

'Any time you lose a child it's heart-wrenching, but to lose a child this way put a great deal of strain and emotions on all agencies involved.'

Toxicology tests indicate that 27-year-old Jason Chambers and 19-year-old Chelsea Cordaro died of acute fentanyl overdoses, according to Lee. 

Lees says the woman had four times the lethal range of the drug and the man had two-and-a-half times the lethal range. 

They were accidental overdoses, according to The Tribune-Democrat.  

Lees says the parents died on or about December 15 and Summer probably on December 19 or December 20.  The bodies were found December 22.

He was quoted as saying: 'There was evidence found at the scene, at the investigation that showed evidence of fentanyl. 

'There was heroin also found at the scene, drug paraphernalia inside the residence.'

Coroner Jeff Lees says the parents died on or about December 15 and Summer probably on December 19 or December 20

Police have said that emergency responders were called to the home (pictured above) in November to treat Chambers after another overdose, and he was revived with Narcan

Both Johnstown police and the Cambria County District Attorney's office are investigating how the girl's parents got the fentanyl, The Tribune-Democrat reported.

Per the outlet, Johnstown Police Department acting Chief Jeff Janciga said: 'Obviously, whoever it was that delivered those drugs would certainly be someone of interest in this investigation.' 

Chambers was found in a living room on the first floor of the residence, while Cardaro was in a second-floor bathroom and the baby was in a bassinet in a second-floor bedroom, according to WJAC-TV. 

Coroner Jeff Lees called the case 'heart-wrenching' and ruled the infant's death homicide due to parental neglect

Neighbors believed the family was out of town, because they hadn't been seen since December 11. 

Cardaro posted a photo of her with Chambers to Facebook on December 14, with the caption 'The one and only my love of my life'.

Police have said that emergency responders were called to the home in November to treat Chambers after another overdose, where he was revived with Narcan.

After the overdose, the family was reported to the Children and Youth Services.

District Attorney Kelly Callihan previously said: 'They did meet with the mother and the father with the child present at the residence. 

'They checked out the house, and it was appropriate to a child living there. There was plenty of food and the child seemed well taken care of.'

Kernville is located about 60 miles from Pittsburgh.  

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