A Burlington County man was facing drug and gun charges after he brought a child who had overdosed to a local hospital earlier this year, authorities said.
The investigation began on June 23 when Daniel Garcia Jr., 27, of Maple Shade and another person, who was not identified, rushed the child to hospital, officials said. Shortly after Garcia had finished feeding the child, he or she was not breathing, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Jersey.
The minor was treated at the hospital and was later flown to a children's hospital for continued care. Drug screening tests came back positive for benzodiazepine, fentanyl, and cocaine, the office said.
Doctors at the children's hospital told police the child had been administered benzodiazepine and fentanyl during treatment, but that cocaine had not been administered, investigators said. A doctor also told them that the minor's symptoms, including seizure, cardiac arrest, and cardiac arrythmia, were all symptoms of a cocaine overdose.
The child, whose age was not released, survived and was later discharged from the children's hospital, according to a criminal complaint.
One June 24, police executed a search warrant at the Garcia's apartment and found cash, drug packaging paraphernalia and an envelope containing both 9mm and .357 magnum ammunition, the office said.
The next day, officers searched a car that Garcia had previously been driving and found a laundry bag that contained $150,000 cash, 329.1 grams of methamphetamine, 767 grams of cocaine, 41 amphetamine tablets, 102 alprazolam tablets, 272 oxycodone tablets, 2.6 grams of MDMA powder, 1,341 grams of marijuana, 9.9 grams of psilocin and psilocybin mushrooms, and 192 grams of crystalline cutting agents commonly used for drug preparation, federal prosecutors said. They also said they found three digital scales, drug packaging material, two 9mm handguns and a .357 magnum revolver. The three guns were all loaded.
Detectives reviewed surveillance video from the apartment complex that showed Garcia returning to the apartment after leaving the hospital and placing the laundry bag inside the trunk of the car, authorities said.
He was recently charged with possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, officials said.
The second charge stemmed from the fact that Garcia is a convicted felon who is not permitted to possess firearms or ammunition following a previous guilty plea in Camden County Superior Court involving drugs and guns, the complaint stated. On March 8, 2019, he was sentenced to five years in prison for those crimes.