2 arrested for death of 8-year-old who consumed drugs in Coatesville

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the death of an 8-year-old who ingested illegal drugs last summer in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday.

Holly Back, 40, and Mousa Hawa, 41, both from Coatesville, were arrested on charges related to the child’s death in July 2023, as stated by the district attorney, Coatesville Police Department, and Chester County Detectives in a news release.

On July 26, 2023, Coatesville police responded to a call about a child in cardiac arrest at a home on the 500 block of East Lincoln Highway early in the morning.

When officers arrived, they found the child with “ashen skin” and signs of turning blue around the mouth and ears, while Hawa was performing CPR. The police took over CPR, but the child was later pronounced dead after being transported to Chester County Hospital by ambulance.

Authorities identified Hawa as the child’s biological father. Both Back and Hawa are facing charges of third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and other related offenses. They are currently being held at Chester County Prison with bail set at $1 million each, according to court documents.

The home was described as “littered with drug paraphernalia,” including pill bottles and a shoebox filled with hundreds of “fentanyl/heroin bags” that were either empty or contained residue, the release stated. Hawa informed investigators that the child was not permitted to touch the illegal drugs.

Additionally, investigators discovered text messages on Back’s and Hawa’s phones discussing drug use. Tests conducted on the child’s hair, blood, and urine revealed the presence of cocaine and fentanyl, as well as evidence of prior fentanyl exposure, according to the news release.

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