One year after a 2-month-old baby died while co-sleeping with her mother, the mom has been charged with her murder.
In early November 2019, 39-year-old Shante Plummer was charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of children after her daughter died while she was co-sleeping with her. According to WGAL, in October 2018, a criminal complaint reported that Plummer was under the influence of marijuana the night her daughter died.
The complaint also alleged that the bed the mother and daughter slept in together sat tilted at an angle. However, the night the baby died, Plummer reportedly rolled over onto her daughter the night of October 28, 2018 and remained on top of her for an extended period of time.
When Plummer awoke and discovered her daughter, she called for help, saying her daughter was having breathing issues. However, it was too late. As WGAL reports, the girl was found to have six broken ribs. She could not be revived by the first responders.
According to the NY Post, Plummer originally told authorities that she woke up after hearing her daughter crying and found the infant laying on the floor next to the bed. However, she later told paramedics that she woke to find her daughter unresponsive.
The infant’s father reportedly did not live with Plummer. Police also allege that the mom called the child’s father before notifying 911.
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo told ABC 27 that the baby girl “also showed signs of abuse and died as a ‘result of violence.’”
Chardo added that they consulted with a forensic pathologist before filing charges, “It took a while, but we don’t want to rush these things. We want to be careful in our investigation and look at all of the evidence.”
According to What to Expect, “sleeping with your baby on the same surface is not safe at any time. Every year about 3,500 babies die in the United States of sleep-related causes, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.”
Plummer is now being held without bail at Dauphin County Prison.
Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.