Parents Say Son Died From Tussionex

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CN) - Parents say their 3-year-old boy died from taking prescribed ½-teaspoon doses of Tussionex cough medicine. They say they were not warned about the dangers of giving the drug to a child younger than 6.

Julian Sims, 3, died on March 20. He had asthma. His parents say they took him to defendant Dr. Joseph Banks on March 16 for a cough, and Banks prescribed ½-teaspoon doses of Tussionex. They bought the medicine from a CVS Pharmacy and gave Joseph ½-tsp. doses on the evenings of March 18 and 19, according to the complaint in Franklin County Court. They found Joseph, unresponsive, on the morning of March 20, when he died.

An autopsy found "that Julian had died as a result of multiple drug toxicity from drugs that are the components of Tussionex," the complaint states. "Specifically, Julian was found to have toxic doses of hydrocodone, chlorpheniramine, and diphenhydramine."

The parents demand damages for negligence and wrongful death. They are represented by Michael Rourke.

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