San Jose dad charged with fentanyl overdose death of three-month-old daughter

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KION-TV)- The Santa Clara County District Attorney says a San Jose man has been charged with the death of his daughter after an autopsy showed she ingested meth and fentanyl.

David Anthony Castro, 38, is charged with felony child neglect and possession of a controlled substance. His three-month-old daughter Phoneix's body was found in an apartment littered with opioids.

“I can’t fathom how a parent could recklessly cause the death of their own child,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “What I fully understand is our responsibility to hold that person accountable for this heartbreaking tragedy.”

On May 13, 2023, San Jose Police arrived at a home on Spinnaker Walkway and found the unconscious baby. Fentanyl, broken glass pipes and aluminum foil were found in the kitchen, said Rosen. A baby bottle filled with liquid was found right next to the glass pipes on the kitchen counter.

Police also found Narcan in the home. The baby was later pronounced dead, said Rosen.

The mother of the baby was not home when her daughter died. She died of an overdose in September, said Rose.