Grandmother gave infant granddaughter adult prescription medication and killed her
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Inset: Alvetta Juanita Haskins (Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office). Background: The apartment complex where Haskins gave her infant granddaughter adult medication in Norfolk, Va. (Google Maps).
A Virginia woman will spend over a decade behind bars for fatally poisoning her infant grandchild with adult prescription medication.
In November 2025, Alvetta Juanita Haskins, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of felony homicide.
On Friday, Norfolk Circuit Court Judge Jamilah LeCruise sentenced the defendant to 30 years – with 17 years and three months suspended; in total, she will spend at least 12 years and nine months in prison.
Sign up for the Law&Crime Daily Newsletter for more breaking news and updatesThe underlying incident occurred in April 2024, when Haskins was babysitting her twin grandchildren, including her 3-month-old granddaughter, Skylar, at an apartment she shared with her boyfriend on Suburban Parkway in Norfolk, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
"At some point, Ms. Haskins added her prescription antipsychotic medication as well as cough syrup into her granddaughter's baby bottle and fed it to her," the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office wrote in a press release last year. "While it remains unclear why she did so, it appears that she did so to quiet the baby."
To hear Haskins tell it, however, she believed Skylar had a stuffy nose and lacked any children's Tylenol – so she thought she was mixing adult Tylenol with powdered baby formula.
But that was not what she had mixed.
Sometime after midnight, the defendant woke up to check on the babies. Skylar was limp and had vomit on her face. The woman called 911 and attempted CPR – for naught.
Paramedics arrived and took the baby to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, where she was later pronounced dead.
In July 2024, a toxicology report came back that showed the girl's cause of death was Seroquel – which Haskins had been prescribed for anxiety and depression. Her blood also showed the presence of an over-the-counter antihistamine commonly used to relieve cold symptoms.
In November 2024, law enforcement interviewed the defendant a second time. Prosecutors said she failed to mention the medication.
Haskins, personally and through her attorney, has said she did not remember the medication at first and that it was an accident.
"I wish I could take it all back but I can't," the convicted woman told the courtroom through tears on Friday. "That was my family, my blood. I didn't know it was the wrong medication till the detective and my daughter told me so."
During the sentencing hearing, Haskins elaborated before the court – saying she was arguing with her boyfriend while she was administering the medications on the night in question. She also said she keeps all her prescriptions in the same bottle.
"I was trembling," the defendant told the judge.
The state strongly admonished the defendant.
"Babies are not adults, and they should never be given prescription medication except by a doctor's order," Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi said in a statement. "Had her granddaughter lived, the proper charge against Ms. Haskins would have been felony child neglect, but since her granddaughter died, the proper charge is felony homicide. Anyone who takes responsibility for watching children, especially babies, must do so with care and must face the consequences if they engage in dangerous behavior such as this."
In January, after a third interview, Haskins was arrested.
"Regardless of the sentence I pronounce, her granddaughter will never be able to enjoy life," Judge LeCruise said while issuing the sentence.
As the defendant was led out of court, her family members – including her daughter – told her: "I love you."
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
