Police: Baby likely starved after mom's suspected drug overdose

MILLVALE, PA -- Investigators in Millvale, Pennsylvania, say a relative found a young mother and her baby dead in their apartment Friday morning.

Authorities say the mother, 22-year-old Sara Kessler, died first about a week ago of an apparent drug overdose, the Monterey Herald reports, citing police.

Needles were found all over the apartment, according to CNN.

The baby, 10-month-old Casey Kessler, was left alone and likely starved to death in the days after his mother's death.

Police officers leaving the scene were brought to tears, WPXI noted.

Allegheny County Police Department Assistant Superintendent James Morton said of the baby, "It seems like he tried to survive, but there was no food or anything for him to have."

It appears no one was around to hear the baby's cries for help. However, a former resident of the apartment building who wished not to be identified told CNN that might not be the case. He said, "The girl that lived downstairs of that apartment heard that baby crying for two days. Now, why she didn't alert anybody I don't know. That baby never had a chance."

Autopsies are scheduled to determine the official cause of death, but police do not suspect any criminal activity in this case.