Canonsburg couple who fled after infant's death face homicide charges

Two Canonsburg parents that went on the run after their infant daughter died suddenly earlier this month will face homicide charges in connection with her death, according to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges were announced Monday against Shannon McKnight, 23, and James May, 31.

The couple’s 3-month-old daughter died at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Aug. 11 after paramedics were called to the First Street home for a report of an unresponsive child.

When first responders arrived around 3:20 a.m., May was on his way out of the house with the infant in his arms, according to the criminal complaint. He was followed by McKnight, who rode with the child in the ambulance.

Police said May told them the family — May, McKnight, the infant girl and the couple’s 16-month-old boy — had all fallen asleep together in May’s bed. Police noted a wet stain resembling spit up on the bed, according to the complaint.

Later, investigators found a crack pipe in plain view and received a search warrant for the rest of the home.

Officers collected the bedding, baby bottles and alleged drug paraphernalia, including stamp bags of suspected fentanyl and cocaine, according to the complaint.

Toxicology results ultimately showed the infant died from a fentanyl overdose, police said. The older child underwent testing and was found to have cocaine and fentanyl in his system.

McKnight and May disappeared from the hospital and were on the run for around a week.

In the interim, police had filed child endangerment and drug charges against them. Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV reported that they parents did not attend a social services hearing regarding their son, and they allegedly did not attend their daughter’s funeral.

The couple was discovered hiding in the rafter of an attic in Canton on Aug. 19, the TV station reported. Court records show they were taken into custody where a judge denied bail, calling them both a “flight risk” and noting the potential for further charges related to the child’s death.