Chapter 7 - THE BOTTLE RESULTThe unlabeled bottle contained diluted liquid diphenhydramine.
An over-the-counter antihistamine.
The active ingredient found in many common allergy medications and sleep aids.
Not poison in the dramatic sense.
Not a controlled substance.
Not automatically dangerous when used correctly for appropriate reasons and weight-based dosing.
But Sophie did not have an allergy indication requiring routine administration.
Dr. Shah had not instructed Mark to use it for sleep.
I had not consented.
The concentration was lower than standard commercial liquid because Mark had diluted it.
Why?
He later claimed easier dosing.
Investigators also found flavoring consistent with a cherry drink mix.
The laboratory could not determine exact historical doses from the bottle.
That mattered.
No one could responsibly say:
Mark gave Sophie X milligrams every night.
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The bottle showed what was present.
The notebook would show what he recorded.
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