Leandra Andrade: Mom charged with murder of daughter, 2, with fatal dose of Benadryl
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: Leandra Andrade, a 38-year-old mother, has been charged with second-degree murder of her two-year-old daughter, Lanoix Andrade, by giving 'acute diphenhydramine toxicity,' with is commonly known as Benadryl. The incident occurred after the mother lost full custody of her child to the father, Fabio E Andrade Jr and fled to Virginia from Washington DC.
The horrible incident took place at the Cutty Sark motel on August 1. Leandra is currently held without bail. The search for the duo began on August 1 as one of their family friends received a text message saying, "They would look down on [the friend] from heaven." The little girl was found dead around 3.30 am and Leandra was also found unconscious in the same room and was given Narcan and taken to the hospital, reported DailyMail.
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"While today's charges will never bring back my daughter, I am thankful to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney for seeking justice for her senseless murder. I look forward to seeing justice served for Lanoix and continue to ask for privacy so that I may mourn my beloved angel," Fabio said. According to People, Fabio was awarded full legal custody, however, both parents were granted joint physical custody. He had previously told The Virginia Pilot, “The court ruling last week awarding me temporary sole legal custody was one of several successful steps toward that goal,” the statement said. “But that ruling did not affect the existing, court-ordered temporary shared physical custody schedule that put Lanoix with her mother last weekend.”
Meanwhile, the mother was previously charged with only child abuse and neglect, reported WTKR. Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge Timothy Quick on Thursday, October 27 claimed the murder as a “planned and calculated” sequence of events leading to the toddler’s death. Leandra's attorney, James Broccoletti, said, “There are significant mental health issues that are in play and will be in play throughout the trial." It was also noted that before the incident, Leandra posted pictures of her daughter and the captions were mostly in past tense, reports The Virginia Pilot.
There were also Instagram posts on Leandra's profile stating she 'deserved the world' and was ' so sorry, baby.' The killer mom also wrote, "You are stunning, conversational and beautiful." She also accused Fabio on another post and wrote, "I wish I left when I saw him for who he was by Feb 2019, but I got pregnant. I wish I left when it felt uncomfortable staying. I wish I left when I knew things in our home were escalating in 2021. I wish Ieft when he tried to get aggressive with me and necessitating the police to be called to our house in Jan 2022. I wish I never told him I was leaving the morning of March 16, 2022 or I would have finally successfully escaped his physical and emotional abuse," reported Daily Mail.
Further, she claimed, "Most importantly, I wish I left for my daughter, because she deserved the world. I am disappointed in myself that this was the only way I could finally get out of his reigns and be free from my abuser and manipulator." Broccoletti, Leandre's attorney claimed, "It's very distressing, all the circumstances. We're looking forward to the preliminary hearing to test all the evidence."