Raeleigh Phillips, Lawrenceburg, Indiana mom charged with killing baby after leaving 9 day old in car seat for 13 hours, of which she slept 9 hours. Mother was previously charged with neglect of a dependant in another case.
Repeat offender… An Indiana mother is facing charges in connection to the death of her infant son who was left in a car seat for over 13 hours only to find the boy not breathing and unconscious upon waking up.
Raeleigh Phillips, 22, was arrested for the death of her son, Emmett Phillips, who was 9 days old when he died, according to an affidavit.
The mother according to the affidavit was charged with neglect of a dependent and reckless homicide, WLWT reported.
Death from positional asphyxia
On March 3, Lawrenceburg police and EMS personnel were dispatched at 2:30 p.m. to an apartment on Bellaire Drive for a report of an unresponsive infant who was blue and purple.
EMS crews performed CPR on Emmett and transported him to St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital where he was determined to be deceased, the affidavit stated according to FOX19.
According to Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens, the infant boy was dead for an extended period before first responders ever arrived at the home.
A death investigation revealed that Raeleigh allegedly left her son in his car seat for 13 hours between March 2 and 3. She told investigators that she fell asleep and woke up to her son slouched in the car seat and ‘cold to the touch.’
It was later discovered that Raeleigh had not fed the infant for 14 hours and that he was wearing a soiled diaper.
The Dearborn County Coroner’s Office determined Emmett died from positional asphyxia, which means the child was in a position where he could not adequately breathe.
Repeat offender
Prior to Emmett’s death, the 22-year-old went to a friend’s house on March 1 and stayed the night there in Aurora, Indiana, court documents state. Her son was with her at the time.
On March 2, Raeleigh told investigators she put Emmett in his car seat at 1 p.m. to get ready to leave Aurora. She stopped at Kroger on her way home, and arrived at the apartment around 2 p.m., the affidavit explains. She noticed her son was asleep, so she took him inside and left him in the car seat.
Raeleigh told investigators that she hung out and watched TV and did not check on Emmett because ‘he seemed content,’ the affidavit stated. The young mom said she fell asleep between 4:30 and 5 p.m. in her bedroom with the car seat next to her.
When she woke up, some nine hours later, it was early Sunday morning, and Raeleigh noticed her son was cold and limp, court documents stated.
Her roommates told detectives that she was hysterical, and was screaming, ‘Help me… call 911… Baby ain’t breathing,’ the affidavit stated. That is when they called 911 for help.
On Tuesday, a warrant for Raeleigh’s arrest was issued.
The mother remains in custody pending bond set at $200,000 surety in addition to $7,500 cash.
Records show Phillips was convicted of neglect of a dependent in a different case in 2022.
