Dad gets life after cocaine kills infant

HOUSTON, June 19 (UPI) -- A Texas father who let his teething son suck on his fingers when they had cocaine on them was given a life jail sentence for the baby's death, officials said.

Dennis Ray Driver, 26, of Houston, was sentenced Wednesday after he was found guilty of felony murder for the cocaine overdose death of his 8-month-old son, the Houston Chronicle reported. He was also ordered to pay $10,000, officials said.

Driver, who has been convicted of cocaine possession in the past, claimed the baby sucked on his fingers after he'd been handling the drug, prosecutor Murray Newman said.

The felony murder charge said Driver took part in behaviors that led to his son's death.

Driver told officials he was sleeping Dec. 28 with his son propped on top of him before he realized the baby wasn't breathing. Officials said the child died the next day at the hospital.

Newman said he does not think Driver intentionally gave the child drugs.