Eight-year-old boy dies after mistaking meth for breakfast cereal

Curtis Collman III, eight, (left) died after eating his father Curtis Gilbert Collman's (right) crystal meth on June 21, ingesting 180 times the lethal amount. Photo / news4jax.com / Police

An eight-year-old boy has died after he reportedly ate his father's crystal meth thinking it was breakfast cereal.

Indiana boy Curtis Collman III died on June 21 after he apparently told his father he was hungry and 'accidentally consumed' the drug that he found on a plate.

Officials said young Curtis ate enough to kill a grown man, ingesting 180 times the lethal amount, according to a toxicology report released on Thursday.

When his father 41-year-old Curtis Gilbert Collman realised his son seemed ill he called a friend over instead of calling police, the

When the friend suggested calling police, he brought out his handgun and threatened to kill himself, the female friend, and his son saying "I'm not going back to prison", according to the Seymour Tribune.

He later took his child to his parents home, who called for help, but it was too late.

The child was having seizures and convulsing by that point and died soon afterwards.

Curtis' father Collman was charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, pointing and firearm and theft, on Thursday, in addition to other charges relating to a sexual misconduct case.

"Anybody that is a parent, you know, would be emotionally upset. It kind of hits home if you have kids," detective Tom Barker said.

On Thursday he requested a bond reduction to spend time at home with his parents while awaiting trial, according to the News 4 Jax.

If convicted, he faces 20 to 40 years in prison. He goes to trial on December 4.

However, prosecutors are seeking a maximum penalty of 50 years.

"50 years would be nice," Jackson County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jeffrey Chalfant said.