A 36-year-old mother has been charged with manslaughter following the death of her 18-month-old son who choked on unpopped popcorn kernels at her Long Island apartment in April.
Prosecutors allege that Olivia Bithorn was drinking vodka in the bathroom of her unit in Merrick when she gave a bag of popcorn kernels to both her son, Luke Russell Jr., and his 3-year-old sister. Police discovered an empty bottle of Tito’s vodka at the scene.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly stated that Bithorn was intoxicated during the incident, which resulted in her son becoming unresponsive. “Her son was blue and cold to the touch,” Donnelly said, adding he remained unconscious for over an hour before 911 was called.
Donnelly also noted that Bithorn had been struggling with addiction issues. “Everyone in her life had basically written her off except her husband, who was trying to make sure she had a place to live and was staying sober,” the DA said. The incident occurred on April 12 at the apartment where Luke Russell Jr., an 18-month-old boy, died.
