The Daily Populous Monday March 23rd, 2026 morning edition
Authored by triblive.com and submitted by one_brown_jedi

A 15-month-old boy who died from a methamphetamine overdose last year likely ingested the drug through breast milk, according to state police.

“His only form of survival was to consume breast milk that was toxic,” Trooper Steve Limani said.

An investigation into the Feb. 12, 2025, death of Thomas Blaesser revealed what investigators described in court papers as a pattern of behavior by his parents — Michael Thomas Blaesser, 34, and Ashley Amber Makarsky, 31. Criminal complaints indicate the pair had a history of drug use and involvement with the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau after two other children were exposed to what Limani believes was likely drug-laced breast milk.

Court papers didn’t mention breastfeeding being a factor in the child’s death.

“There is a pattern set forth about where a person should know and understand the consequences of taking illicit substances and then using your body to … sustain life for your child — you’re feeding it drugs and potentially going to kill your child,” Limani said. “And that’s what took place.”

Makarsky and Blaesser, whose name is spelled “Blasser” in police paperwork, are being held on $1 million bail each in connection with Thomas’ death. An autopsy determined he died from methamphetamine toxicity, according to court papers filed Monday.

A 3-year-old boy who lived at the Mt. Pleasant Township home tested positive for fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, police said.

Makarsky had been warned by caseworkers in 2022 of the dangers of breastfeeding while using drugs, according to court papers. At that time, the child welfare caseworkers took emergency custody of the 3-year-old boy, who was 1 month at the time, after both Makarsky and Blaesser tested positive for methamphetamine. It was unclear from court papers when they regained custody of him or whether there were any current open cases involving the children.

Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau Director Shara Saveikis said that, because of confidentiality laws, she could not confirm or deny agency involvement with the couple. A fatality report related to Thomas’ death that was filed with the state is not publicly available because prosecutors have barred its release.

Troopers were called to the couple’s Crestview Drive home in Mt. Pleasant Township at 7 a.m. Feb. 12, 2025, for an unresponsive child. Thomas was pronounced dead at Independence Health Frick Hospital, police said. It appeared he had been dead for longer than that day, according to court papers.

Authorities described the home as uninhabitable — with no running water, electricity, heat or food. The roof had holes in it and the indoor temperature was 28 degrees, they said. A mattress and blanket appeared to be growing mold, and garbage and feces were strewn about.

Blaesser bought the property, in a small neighborhood off Route 31, in 2021 for $105,000. He sold it in September for $35,000, according to a deed.

“(The conditions) were beyond deplorable,” Limani said. “There was no food in the house that we saw that was edible. The temperatures were below freezing within the home. The only heat source for the house was a kerosene heater that emitted fumes that you could strongly smell … along with fecal matter and garbage.”

Troopers learned Makarsky lost custody of another child earlier in 2022 under similar circumstances involving breastfeeding while using drugs, according to court papers.

Those three instances provided authorities enough evidence to file third-degree homicide charges against Blaesser and Makarsky, Limani said. They also face additional charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

“Those were the results of their horrific neglect and absolute disregard for trying to take care of a (child) that relied solely on these two individuals,” he said.

Thomas’ obituary described him as a “very happy little boy who loved to eat and was always smiling.”

Neither Makarsky nor Blaesser had an attorney listed in online court records. They had been living in Bullskin, Fayette County, until their arrests Monday. Preliminary hearings are set for March 25.

This story is updated to reflected that Ashley Amber Makarsky did not admit to breastfeeding the child.

lemme_just_say on March 23rd, 2026 at 07:21 UTC »

Meth gets in the carpet and everywhere so if the baby ran around with bare feet, their little bodies will absorb it. (Source: daughter’s a social worker)

May not have been just breast milk.

Soft_Ad_1639 on March 23rd, 2026 at 06:33 UTC »

the science behind this general idea turned out to all have been faked, see this recent New Yorker article: https://archive.is/B8qCt

the quote about the meth breast milk is just from a cop talking out of his ass, it's not from the coroner or a medical report.

csonnich on March 23rd, 2026 at 03:24 UTC »

Toxic from meth taken by the mother, if anyone else was wondering like I was.

The child basically overdosed.