LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A 6-month-old child found unresponsive at a Scottsburg, Indiana, daycare last year died from Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), according to court documents.
The person running the daycare, 38-year-old Candace Jones, was arrested last week on charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, reckless supervision by a child care provider resulting in death and operating a child care home without a license.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Jones was providing care for as many as 8-10 children in her home on May 30, 2019, when she placed the 6-month-old girl on an adult mattress resting atop a box spring mattress. Investigators say she left the child on the mattress on her belly at 3 p.m. and surrounded her with comforters and blankets.
When the child's mother arrived at 4:40 p.m. to pick the child up, the comforter was on top of the child and the girl was lying on her back.
The girl was taken to Scott Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
"On May 31, 2019, an autopsy was performed on VICTIM by Dr. Thomas Sozio," the probable cause affidavit states. "The cause of death was determined to be Sudden Unexplained Infant Death. The contributing factor of Unsafe sleep environment was listed. The manner of death was listed as Undetermined. At a later date, I spoke with Dr. Sozio and he indicted to me that most likely, VICTIM rolled on the bed and died of asphyxia by suffocation on a pillow or blanket."
When confronted, Jones told investigators there was no baby monitor in the room where the child was sleeping and that she was outside the home for 20-30 minutes before the child's mom arrived to pick her up, according to court documents.
According to court documents, Jones' daycare was unlicensed and she had a criminal history dating back to 2012, with charges that included theft and possession of a legend drug.
She is currently being held in the Scott County Detention Center.
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