HOUSTON (NEXSTAR) — Prosecutors say a Houston woman has been accused of giving her 6-year-old son lethal doses of medications and over the counter drugs after taking out two life insurance policies on the boy.
Prosecutors allege Ashley Marks repeatedly drugged her son in June.
Marks has been charged with capital murder and was being held without bond. Court records did not list an attorney for her.
A Child Protective Services report obtained by KPRC states that while her son and his younger sister were staying with their grandfather for two months they both contracted tuberculosis. Marks allegedly showed up and gave medicine to her son, but his sister refused.
Over the next two days the health of the boy, identified by KPRC as Jason Sanchez-Marks, sharply declined. He began vomiting and suffered from hallucinations and insomnia, according to the report. Marks allegedly returned to the house two times to administer NyQuil. Jason’s health continued to worsen and he died a couple days later.
According to court records, an autopsy ruled the boy’s death a homicide after finding toxic amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine and various antihistamines.
Investigators allege Marks had taken out two life insurance policies, each worth $50,000, for her son and she was the sole beneficiary.
The policies were taken out about a month before the boy’s death.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.