FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — A Franklin County judge issued a $4 million bond for a man who allegedly gave a 3-year-old boy a fatal dose of Benadryl.
Randy Mollett, 35, appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court for a scheduled arraignment. He is charged with child endangerment, reckless homicide and murder.
RELATED: Sheriff's office: 3-year-old boy dies after Franklin County man gives him fatal dose of Benadryl
Franklin County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an unresponsive child on April 13 in the 6000 block of London Groveport Road in Darbydale, a town southwest of Grove City.
Detectives discovered that Mollett was a family friend and that the boy was in his care.
According to a release from the sheriff's office, Mollett told deputies that the boy had a seizure. Medics took the boy to Nationwide Children's Hospital in serious condition where he later died.
The sheriff's office said Mollett gave the boy a fatal dose of diphenhydramine, an active ingredient found in Benadryl.
Franklin County Municipal Court records say detectives searched his home and found two bottles of Benadryl. Records also say that Mollett admitted to giving Benadryl to the boy, causing his death.
The boy's name has not been released.
During his court appearance, he was given a $2 million bond for the murder charge and $1 million each for child endangerment and reckless homicide. His next appearance is scheduled for May 10.
Records from Franklin County municipal and common pleas courts show that Mollett previously faced charges related to child endangerment.
In 2008, he was indicted for four counts of endangering children and three counts of felonious assault. He pleaded guilty to one count of endangering children and the other charges were dismissed.
in 2017, municipal court records show that he faced misdemeanor charges for child restraint and seatbelt operator and pleaded guilty to both.
Mollett was fined for child restraint in a motor vehicle equipped with seatbelts in 2023.
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