Mother, child found dead in Sterling home

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspected heroin overdose of a 23-year-old woman and how it may, or may not, be involved in the death of the woman's child born just hours earlier.

Capt. Doug Hunter said deputies are investigating the death of Kimberly Karosy, who lived on Second Street in Sterling (Milton Township). She died Saturday after being found unresponsive at her home.

And on that same day, deputies found Karosy's female child, who was born at about noon in the home, lifeless in the bathtub.

Dr. Amy Jolliff, Wayne County coroner, confirmed an autopsy was performed on both mother and child Tuesday, but she did not have a preliminary cause of death for either.

Jolliff said the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office, which performed the two autopsies, found no trauma or birth defects on the newborn or Karosy.

Jolliff's office must now await toxicology reports from both persons before determining a cause of death.

She added it is hard to tell how far along Karosy was in her pregnancy as she did not receive any prenatal care. But based on her visual of the child, the birth appeared to be about two months premature.

Karosy, Hunter said, lived at the home with a 51-year-old man. He called 911 and reported she was unresponsive. The man claimed Karosy overdosed on heroin.

She was taken by a squad to Wooster Community Hospital. When deputies arrived at the hospital, she had already died.

Hunter said the man reported earlier in the day, Karosy had gone into labor and given birth at the home. The man said the child was dead, though, and he assisted Karosy in wrapping the child in a towel, placing it in a cardboard box and then set the box in a tub inside the home.

The man allowed authorities to search the home and Hunter said, "Things were as he described them."

Hunter said the man's relationship with Karosy is unclear at this point in the investigation; another man who lives off-and-on at the residence is believed to be the father, and was not present at the home Saturday.

Hunter said the timeline of the day's events are unclear.

The man told deputies the child showed no signs of life when she was born and it is unclear if, or when, Karosy may have taken heroin. The man told law enforcement she was a "heavy user of heroin" and it is merely suspected she died of an overdose.

"There were no outward signs of any trauma," Hunter said, about both Karosy and her child.

The Sheriff's Office did not arrest or charge the man and is still investigating the case. Hunter said they are awaiting the results of the autopsy and toxicology reports. Jolliff said toxicology reports may take up to 12 weeks to come back to her office.

Hunter added the individuals involved in the case and staying at the home are familiar to law enforcement, as authorities assisted the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency during a search warrant there in May.

Don Hall, director of Medway, confirmed a search warrant was executed at the home in May on meth-related information.