Mother gets probation in 9-year-olds overdose death

YOUNGSTOWN

The mother of a boy who died the day after Christmas last year after ingesting a massive amount of cocaine at her home was sentenced today to five years probation in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum handed down the sentence to Raenell Allen, 39, to a count of child endangering for the death of her son, Marcus Lee, 9.

Police said the drugs belonged to Allen's boyfriend, Kevin Campbell, 38, who was sentenced to four and a half years in prison last week by Judge Krichbaum for his role in the case.

The sentence for Allen was recommended by prosecutors and defense attorneys. Prosecutors recommended the sentence because Allen agreed to cooperate with them.

Investigators still do not know how Marcus got access to the cocaine but the amount was so massive that he became violently ill almost immediately.