Woman Found Guilty Of Manslaughter for Injecting Her Father with Heroin

On March 14th, 2018, Justeen Nichole Whittaker, 29, of Dover DE., was found guilty of manslaughter for her involvement in the October 24th, 2017 death of her father, Nathaniel Whittaker, 50, also of Dover, DE.

On October 24th, 2017, Detectives with the Ocean City Police Department responded to room 308 of the Americana Hotel located in Ocean City, MD. for report of a man suffering a cardiac arrest. Mr. Whittaker was found lying face up on the far side of the bed furthest from the door. EMS arrived on scene and attempted life-saving efforts, but ultimately he was pronounced dead on scene.

A search of the bedroom produced multiple drug related items indicative of heroin consumption. Detectives learned that the room was being shared by Mr. Whittaker and his daughter, Justeen Whittaker. She was interviewed by the Detectives and ultimately confessed to injecting her father with heroin at his request, as he was too intoxicated to inject himself.

An autopsy was performed by The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for Maryland. The opinion of the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy was that Mr. Whittaker died as a result of a fentanyl overdose.

After having been found guilty, prosecutors proceeded straight to sentencing. The sentencing guidelines were submitted as calculated by the Maryland Sentencing Commission and they indicated a guidelines range of two to seven years of incarceration.

At sentencing, Interim State’s Attorney Bill McDermott asked the court to send Ms. Whittaker to prison. “The community needs to know, that as quickly as heroin can steal a life, this Office will seek to take your freedom if you knowingly deal, distribute or administer drugs and it results in someone’s death”.

Circuit Court Judge, Thomas C. Groton, III sentenced Ms. Whittaker to 10 years suspend all but three years in the Department of Corrections with two years of supervised probation to follow her release.

McDermott thanked The Ocean City Police Department as well as Detective Karsnitz, Detective Perry and Detective Cpl. Runkles. He also thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Joaquin Cabrera.