CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. — Two people have been arrested following the death of an 8-year-old in Chester County.
Holly Back, 40, and Mousa Hawa, 41, from Coatesville, have been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other related charges.
According to the District Attorney's Office of Chester County, on July 26, 2023, at 2:33 a.m., the City of Coatesville Police Department responded to a 911 call for a report of a child in cardiac arrest.
At the scene, Back reportedly ushered police inside the home, where they found Hawa performing CPR on the child. Officers quickly noted the condition of the child, witnessing that the child had ashen skin and cyanosis to his mouth and ears.
When officers took over CPR, they allegedly noticed several crystalline baggies scattered throughout the living room and other medication bottles in a bag on the floor.
The child was transported to Chester County Hospital but died upon arrival at 3:32 a.m.
An investigation by police revealed that the home where both Back, Hawa and the child victim lived was littered with drug paraphernalia. Investigators allegedly located empty heroin bags in three separate locations on the floor of the room where responding officers first saw the child.
Investigators allegedly also found a shoebox that contained hundreds of small glassine bags each containing blue fentanyl/heroin bags that were either empty or contained residue.
Detectives also reviewed Hawa's and Back's cellphones and found messages from July 25, 2023, that showed that they were discussing drug use.
Hawa allegedly told investigators that the victim knew not to touch the illegal drugs because they were referred to as "medicine."
Samples from the child's blood, urine and hair were analyzed to determine if any illegal drugs were in his system. According to the DA's office, the blood and urine samples contained cocaine and fentanyl. The hair sample showed traces of fentanyl in the child's system, indicating additional exposure before July 26.
