Man charged with causing death of 2-year-old West Side boy

A man has been charged with causing the death of a 2-year-old West Side boy, who died of methadone poisoning last summer, according to authorities.

Reginal Brown, 36, is charged with one felony count of endangering the life of a child leading to death, according to Chicago Police.

On June 18, 2014, Mickel Brown’s stepfather put him down for a nap and about 4:25 p.m. noticed he wasn’t breathing, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Police did not say whether Reginal Brown is the boy’s stepfather.

Mickel, of the 1400 block of South Kedvale Avenue, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 6:30 p.m. that day, according to the medical examiner’s office.

According to autopsy results delayed for completion of toxicology tests, Mickel died of methadone toxicity and his death was ruled a homicide, according to a spokesman for the medical examiner’s office.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used as a painkiller and for treatment of narcotic addiction.

DCFS launched an investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect at the time of Mickel’s death, authorities said.

Reginal Brown, of the 1400 block of South Kedvale, was ordered held on a $350,000 bond in court Tuesday.