© Police HandoutBabysitters: Oscar Sanchez-Rivera, 24, and Viameri Santana-Berrios, 27, were babysitting the nine-month-old boy when he died from a drug overdose
Oscar Sanchez-Rivera, 24, and Viameri Santana-Berrios, 27, were babysitting the boy when he died from a drug overdose.
Doctors found needle marks on his hands and feet as well as undigested heroin and cocaine in his body.
A medical examiner told a court in Philadelphia that the young victim, Milton Rojas, had so many drugs in his body that he likened him to a drug mule - the slang for someone who smuggles drugs in their body.
The shocking details of the baby boy's death were revealed at a preliminary hearing in Philadelphia where a judge ordered Sanchez-Rivera, 24, to stand trial on murder.
His girlfriend Santana-Berrios will go on trial on third-degree murder charges following a five hour hearing into the circumstances of the boy's death.
Paramedic Dale Schroder told the court that he recognised 'track marks' normally found on drug addicts when he was trying to revive the baby.
He said he had been called to the home last July after the baby was reported as being unresponsive.
© FacebookAbused: Milton had so many drugs in his body that he was likened to a drug mule or someone who smuggles drugs in their body
The child was cool to the touch, pale, and unresponsive, and Schroeder's said his efforts failed to revive the child.
Schroeder said he and his partner took the child to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where he was pronounced dead.
At the hospital, the paramedic added, Milton's internal body temperature was already too low to register on a rectal thermometer.
Medical examiner Lieberman Edwin said an autopsy showed eight needle marks on the feet and hands as well as heroin and cocaine still undigested in the child's stomach.
Lieberman said he had never seen this level of drugs before in a child.
Both defendants gave statements to detectives that claimed the baby, who had a history of breathing problems, began snoring, stopped breathing, and turned blue.
The pair were looking after the boy for Iris Rojas.
Defence lawyers blamed her for the overdose, but prosecutor Kirn told the court the victim died within six hours of being injected.
She said: 'For 39-1/2 hours, this baby was in the care of these two people.
'Take a look at the math and at the level of care and how they acted. The body has track marks. Track marks on a baby.'
Municipal Court Judge James M. DeLeon ordered Sanchez-Rivera to be held on a murder charge as well as conspiracy and child endangerment.
The judge held Santana-Berrios, a mother of two, on third-degree murder and a related charge and she was given bail of $150,000.
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