Victor Hare

NORTHUMBERLAND, Pa. — A man was charged Monday night in connection with the death of a 9-year-old boy who died after overdosing on prescription medicine, authorities said.

According to court documents, Victor Hare, 58, was arrested by police in Point Township, about 60 miles north of Harrisburg, after officers were called to his Springhouse Road home Monday morning for a child who took “oxy” and was talking about “oxy,” — an apparent reference to oxycodone.

When police and paramedics arrived after a 911 call was made at 7:49 a.m., they found Korbin Rager, 9, of Sunbury, in a bedroom, officers said. The child had blood coming from his mouth and nose, court documents said.

Korbin was rushed to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where he was pronounced dead at 8:43 a.m., Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn said.

Police said when they arrived at the home, they found a child crying, and he told police he walked into the bedroom and tried to wake up Korbin but he couldn’t, according to court records.

The two boys were stepbrothers, officials said.

The child told police he told Hare to call the paramedics and that Hare told the boy to wait, court documents said.

Only after the child began to yell at Hare to call 911 was a call made, according to the documents.

Hare was interviewed by Point Township police and said he was awakened by the boy and told Korbin was dead, police said. Hare told police that when he checked on the child, he performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 40 minutes, court documents said.

Hare told police Korbin had a drug problem and was using pills, marijuana and alcohol and that he knew this because Korbin told him so weeks ago, court documents said. Hare said he told Korbin’s mother more than a month ago but that she didn’t want to hear it, documents said.

Police continued to ask Hare questions and said they uncovered discrepancies in his story, but his explanation was that he was getting confused, officers said.

Hare told police he found a pipe used for smoking marijuana in Korbin’s bedroom but he never told anyone, police said.

Hare also told police the 9-year-old stole 40 Oxycontin pills and five $100 bills from him, according to court documents.

Hare voluntarily went to the Point Township police station, where he told officers the boy’s mother left the boy in his custody and that when he picked up the two boys at 10 p.m. Sunday, Rager’s eyes looked “weird,” but he again didn’t tell the child’s mother, court documents said.

He said the children went to Hare’s home and sat on the sofa watching TV, and the next thing he knew, he was being woken up by the other boy, police said.

Hare had numerous “powerful” prescription medicines unsecured throughout the house and an extensive amount of alcohol readily available, according to officers.

Lynn confirmed that he believed Korbin had prescription pills in his system.

“This is a tragic event,” Lynn said Monday night. “This will remain under investigation.”

Hare is charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of children and was arraigned by video by District Judge John Gembic of Shamokin on Monday night. He was placed in the Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $40,000 bail.

Information for this story was reported by the Sunbury (Pa.) Daily Item.