A Connecticut man, Anthony Federline, 39, has been charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor in connection with the death of his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Eve Rogers. Rogers was found dead in her home on March 18 with a lethal concentration of diphenhydramine—the active ingredient in Benadryl—in her system, according to the Enfield Police Department.

Court documents reveal that Rogers’ mother discovered her partially unclothed on her bedroom floor, covered by a blanket on her lower body, with blood and other fluids running from her nose. The diphenhydramine level in Rogers’ blood was measured at 23,000 ng/ml, significantly exceeding lethal thresholds of 4,390 ng/ml for children and 14,720 ng/ml for adults. The medical examiner stated that Rogers would have had to ingest approximately 1.8 liters of liquid diphenhydramine to reach such levels.

Authorities are expanding their investigation by seeking access to Federline’s Facebook and Snapchat accounts, the family’s CVS Caremark account, and two Amazon accounts. Rogers’ mother informed detectives that she used her Amazon account to purchase medication, Sleep Aid capsules, and a "sexual pleasure device" for her daughter, as reported by WFLA.

The investigation remains ongoing as officials continue to probe the circumstances surrounding Eve Rogers’ death.

Sources