COHOES — A 38-year-old man faces a manslaughter charge after authorities said he didn't call for help after his infant son ingested methamphetamine, causing the boy to die.

Anthony Ojeda is also charged with assault for a separate incident that allegedly occurred in November, and was discovered after authorities found the six-week-old boy had several broken ribs in the process of healing, according to court documents.

The child, whose name was redacted from court documents, died at Albany Medical Center on Tuesday, shortly after paramedics were called Ojeda's Van Vechten Street apartment. A friend of Ojeda called to report the child was having trouble breathing, Cohoes Police Detective Lt. Jason Johnston said Wednesday.

Ojeda told police the child was born a few weeks premature and faced existing medical issues, according to court documents.

Ojeda said his son was having difficulty breathing when the baby woke from a nap, and vomited twice while being fed. The child cried while paramedics were treating him, and appeared to initially respond to treatment, according to court documents.

But during a later interview, Ojeda admitted the child may have gotten into a bag of meth in the apartment, according to court documents.

Ojeda "ultimately didn't seek treatment for that because he was concerned for his well-being, legally, and that led to, ultimately, the baby's death," Johnston said. He declined to say whether drugs were found during a search of Ojeda's home, citing the active investigation.

During the same interview, Ojeda said he may have injured the child in early November after he was woken up by the baby's crying. Ojeda told police he grabbed the infant by the chest and "forcibly" picked him up, according to a complaint. Ojeda faces a second-degree assault charge in that case.

He was arrested Tuesday at the building that houses the Cohoes Police Department and City Hall, according to his arrest report. He appeared for an initial court appearance Wednesday and is being held on $100,000 bail at the Albany County jail.

Johnston said that if Ojeda had called for help, he likely would not have been immune from prosecution under the state's Good Samaritan law, which provides legal immunity for those who report a drug overdose. The child’s mother was not at the residence at the time, police said.



The child's death has had an impact on the Cohoes Police Department, he said.

"It's affected this office greatly," Johnston said.

Michael.Williams@timesunion.com or 518-454-5018