Ashley Bean, 35, was arrested for felony child abuse Wednesday (Lancaster County Sheriff Nebraska)
A Nebraska mom was "highly intoxicated" when she suffocated her 3-week-old who was sleeping in the same bed, deputies said this week.
Police arrested Ashley Bean, 35, for felony child abuse Wednesday in the death of her infant son, Axel. Bean turned herself into authorities following a 5-month investigation.
Sheriff’s deputies, Waverly Rural Fire and Lincoln Fire and Rescue responded to a 911 call from Bean's Waverly residence around 8 a.m. on Dec. 17. When they arrived, the baby was allegedly unresponsive.
"Deputies and medical personnel determined that the infant, Bean’s son, was pulseless and not breathing," police said in a statement online.
Bean and "an adult acquaintance" were the only ones present in the home at the time. The infant was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital before he was later transferred to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, where he died hours later.
“This isn’t a co-sleeping issue, this is an issue pertaining to an adult who was intoxicated to the point they are incapable of taking care of their 3-week-old."
An autopsy later revealed the baby died of asphyxia.
Bean drank at least six shots of tequila with a friend the night of her son's death, resulting in a blood-alcohol level of .190, according to court papers obtained by Fox 13. The mom was apparently starting to breastfeed her son when she dozed off, the news station reported.
“This isn’t a co-sleeping issue, this is an issue pertaining to an adult who was intoxicated to the point they are incapable of taking care of their 3-week-old,” Lancaster County Sheriff Capt. Ben Houchin told Fox 13.
Investigators believe Bean "knowingly and intentionally placed her infant son in a situation that endangered his life," police said.
If convicted, Bean could face up to 3 years in prison, 18 months post-release supervision or a $10,000 fine. According to Fox 13, Bean was also pulled over by local police for driving under the influence after her son's death, though those charges are still pending.
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