Baby's death blamed on complications of asthma

No criminal investigation is planned in the 4-month-old boy's death at a Dade City day care center.

By CHASE SQUIRES

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

DADE CITY -- The sudden death of a 4-month-old New Port Richey boy at a Dade City day care Wednesday was most likely the tragic result of a lifetime illness, investigators ruled Thursday.

Ravyn Mollsen was born in February with chronic asthma, according to Pasco County Sheriff's Office reports. The infant was at the Child World day care center along Mitchell Street on Wednesday morning when he was fed and put down to rest.

When an employee at the center went in to give the boy some medication for his breathing condition about an hour later, she found him lifeless. The owner of the center, Kathleen Williams, and her daughter Mary Gay performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until a rescue crew arrived.

The boy was pronounced dead at Pasco Community Hospital.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Doll said preliminary autopsy results show the boy died from complications of his asthma. There will be no criminal investigation, he said.

Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Brenda Porter said Child World has been a state-registered child care center since 1998 with no recorded problems.

The boy's grandfather, Thomas Burnett, said the family was saddened by the loss but accepts the Sheriff's Office's preliminary investigation.

Charles Williams, the husband of day care center owner Kathleen Williams, said the tragedy saddened all involved.

"Any time something like this happens, it's just terrible," Williams said. "It affects everybody."

Chase Squires covers east Pasco courts and the communities of Dade City, San Antonio and Saint Leo. He can be reached at (352) 521-5757, ext. 27. His e-mail address is squires@sptimes.com.

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