What happened to Sakani Kamagate? Incident explored as Staten Island toddler death ruled a homicide

Staten Island authorities announced on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, that they had ruled the death of 16-month-old Sakani Kamagate a homicide. They said that an autopsy revealed that the toddler had ingested cocaine and fentanyl. It was also reported that at the time of his death, Sakani Kamagate was being watched by his father, Adam Kamagate, a three-time felon.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of the death of a child due to drugs. Discretion is advised.

While the case is currently under investigation, no one has been charged with the 16-month-old's death. The Express noted that there were no visible signs of trauma on the child's body.

It is worth noting that the toddler is one of more than 160 people who die of overdoses in Staten Island, New York, each year.

---

The investigation into the death of Sakani Kamagate

SILive reported that Sakani Kamagate was found dead at around 4 am on February 20, 2023. After responding to a 911 call, authorities found the toddler unresponsive and seemingly unconscious in a bedroom on 53, Hamilton Avenue.

Although he had a nosebleed, Sakani showed no other physical signs of injury. He was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, where he was pronounced dead.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner noted that the official cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and cocaine. Andrew Kamagate told investigators that he had put Sakani Kamagate to bed at night, just hours before he was discovered suffering from an overdose of a cocktail of drugs.

The toddler's obituary, featured on the website for the Stradford Funeral Home, read:

"(Sakani) touched many hearts with his bright, vibrant spirit (....) He was a super smart, adorable, loving, sweet baby who loved being around family. He enjoyed hanging with his siblings, watching Sesame Street, and dancing whenever he heard music.”

Investigators have still not determined how Sakani Kamagate came into contact with the drugs. The owner of the drugs has also not been confirmed. However, police are investigating the case.

---

Fentanyl overdoses in America

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, and 100 times more potent than morphine. As reported by the National Institute of Health, over 70,000 opioid overdose deaths were reported across America in 2021. Most of these overdoses involved fentanyl or other synthetic opioids.

According to the New York Government website, fentanyl was detected in 80% of overdose deaths across the city. Sakani Kamagate was one of approximately 2600 people who overdose annually in New York City.

Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan commented on the slew of overdose deaths across the country. He said that the deaths are heartbreaking and that most of them are preventable. Dr. Vasan added that the city should use "every evidence-based tool" at its disposal to reach people with its services, support, and compassion.

Axios reported that while the government has expressed concerns over rising fentanyl use, the drug is only becoming more common. From 2016 to 2021, the use of this particular synthetic opioid quadrupled.

A majority of the victims were between the 25 to 31 age group. What makes the rise of fentanyl even more concerning is that it is often laced with drugs perceived as less harmful, such as marijuana and cocaine.

While fentanyl overdoses are a problem all over the nation, Montgomery County, Ohio, has gained the dubious distinction of being called the overdose capital of the world.