Wichita parents arrested on suspicion of murder after baby found unresponsive in Walmart

The parents of a Wichita infant who became unresponsive while at a Walmart have been arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder after an autopsy showed he died of a fentanyl overdose, records show.

Wilma Faye Presley, 36, was booked into jail Wednesday in the Oct. 31 death of 1-year-old Kaiden McCullough. Kaiden’s obituary says he turned one on Oct. 17 and that he had seven brothers and sisters.

Brijin M. McCullough has been in jail since Jan. 5 on several charges related to drugs and fleeing from police. Suspicion of first-degree murder was added to his arresting charges Wednesday.

Neither parent has been formally charged in connection with the boy’s death, according to court records.

On Oct. 31, first responders tried to resuscitate the boy after his mother reported him unresponsive as she shopped with him at the Walmart at Pawnee and Broadway in south Wichita.

First responders were called at 9:53 p.m. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said at the time that there were no signs of foul play and an autopsy would conclude what happened.

In the autopsy, the coroner wrote that Kaiden’s father stayed in the car while his mother took him inside.

“It is unknown how long he was unresponsive before his mother noticed, as she reported that she thought he was sleeping when they entered the store,” the coroner wrote. “Kaiden had been residing with (his) maternal aunt, as he was removed from his parents’ care at birth when he tested positive for methamphetamine, but was very recently returned to his mother’s care.”

The coroner added: “Notably, review of the (EMS) records, and hospital records for the resuscitation period did not show any medical administration of fentanyl.”

The cause of death was ruled accidental from fentanyl.

Neither parent took questions from the medical investigator, the coroner wrote.

Presley was also arrested on drug charges and a driving violation.

McCullough, who is on parole, was arrested Jan. 5 and has been charged in that case with multiple counts of possession of opiates, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, criminal possession of a handgun, fleeing or eluding officers and driving with a suspended license. Court records say the drugs include fentanyl and cocaine. McCullough also has convictions for aggravated burglary, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, a drug charge and theft, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records. All of those convictions happened in Sedgwick County.

He was last released from prison in February 2023.