The parents of a one-year-old boy who died of a drug overdose in May have been arrested and charged with manslaughter in the first degree, according to Auburn police.

Megan Smith and Joseph Knoerr were taken into custody on Sept. 11, 2024, following an investigation into the infant’s death, which occurred on May 29 at the Promenade Apartments.

Police were called to the scene early that morning in response to a CPR call involving the unresponsive child. Despite life-saving attempts by officers and medical personnel, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. During their initial investigation, officers found the apartment in disarray, littered with drugs and paraphernalia, including suspected fentanyl and heroin.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that the child died from acute intoxication caused by lethal levels of fentanyl, carfentanil, and methamphetamine. The toxicology report revealed the presence of the powerful opioid carfentanil, a substance far more potent than fentanyl, along with methamphetamine in the child’s system.

Detectives launched an extensive investigation and worked closely with the King County Prosecutor’s Office, ultimately determining that there was probable cause to charge the parents under Washington state law (RCW 9A.32.060) for manslaughter in the first degree. Smith and Knoerr were booked into King County Jail with bail set at $2 million each.

The boy’s five-year-old sibling was placed into protective custody during the investigation.

The case remains under investigation, and authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.