Deadly Formula

Deadly Formula refers to episode 8 of the Season 3 of the television series Forensic Files which was broadcast for the first time on November 19, 1998.

Plot summary
In 1989, David and Patricia Stallings of Hillsboro, Missouri had their first child, Ryan, whose health took a turn for the worse by the time he was five months old. Ryan had a series of blood tests, which showed unusually high levels of ethylene glycol, which is the main active ingredient in antifreeze.

Patricia Stallings was arrested, and a few days later, Ryan died. While in prison, Patricia gave birth to another son, David, who suffered from the same symptoms as his brother Ryan had; however, he was not in Patricia's care at the time. After re-testing both children’s blood, results showed that there was no evidence of ethylene glycol. It was determined that both children had a rare genetic disorder called methylmalonic acidemia. Patricia Stallings was released on July 30, 1991, as no crime had been committed.