A Mount Pleasant Township couple is facing third‑degree murder charges in the death of a 15‑month‑old child who was found unresponsive at their home last year, authorities said. State police arrested 34‑year‑old Michael Blasser and 31‑year‑old Ashley Makarsky, and both were arraigned yesterday before being remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $1 million bail. The child was discovered unresponsive in February 2025 and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Investigators say a forensic pathologist determined the cause of death to be acute methamphetamine toxicity, according to WTAE. Troopers who responded to the Crestview Drive residence tried to revive the child with CPR before the child was taken to a hospital.
Police described the house as squalid, saying the home was filled with feces, urine, and garbage, and officers reported that the interior temperature was about 28 degrees, authorities told WTAE. Investigators also said a urine test showed the child had recently ingested illegal substances and that blood tests for both adults came back positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine. Children and Youth Services took emergency custody of another child who was at the home.
How Pennsylvania Defines Third‑Degree Murder
Under Pennsylvania law, murder of the third degree applies to killings that do not meet the definitions for first‑ or second‑degree murder. The statute states that all other kinds of murder shall be murder of the third degree, according to 18 Pa.C.S. §2502. A conviction can result in a prison term that spans decades, and prosecutors typically must prove malice, rather than premeditation, to secure a third‑degree murder verdict.
The charges announced this week come more than a year after the child's death. Officials say the case moved forward following the coroner's findings and the state police investigation. Prosecutors and state police did not immediately provide a schedule for upcoming court hearings.
