4-Month-Old Baby Died After Daycare Owner Put Child Face Down For Nap

Newly obtained documents regarding the death of a 4-month-old baby at a daycare in Georgia last week revealed the infant died after laying on his stomach for hours.

The baby, whose name has not been revealed, died at Little Lovey Daycare in Dunwoody on Feb. 3. The owner of the daycare, 45-year-old Amanda Hickey, was charged with felony murder and cruelty to children in the death. Police documents obtained by ABC-affiliated WSB-TV revealed the baby was put down for a nap in a playpen. Hickey had said she laid him on his back, in line with state regulations, but the child rolled over onto his stomach.

However, the police warrants mentioned that the security video showed Hickey placed the infant on his stomach, and did not return to check on the child for hours, WSB-TV reported. When Hickey finally checked on the child, she saw that he was not breathing. The police were immediately informed, and the baby was taken to a hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.

Warrants issued following the incident revealed Hickey was watching at least seven other children at the time. According to the state guidelines, only six children and two additional children in a part-time capacity can be accommodated by home daycare, the news outlet reported.

Hickey was charged with felony murder based on the fact that she placed the child face-down, causing his death. She was charged with second-degree cruelty to children because of the “cruel or excessive physical or mental pain” she inflicted on the baby by putting him to bed face-down, according to the warrant.

Last year, a Texas woman was taken into custody for choking a 1-year-old baby while the child was in her care at her unlicensed daycare facility. According to the Conroe Police Department, a woman picked up her 5-year-old sister and 1-year-old daughter from Andrea Sanchez’s daycare on Feb. 28. The 5-year-old girl told the woman Sanchez choked her baby while other children were trying to sleep. A case was filed against the woman resulting in an investigation. Conroe police and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services conducted the probe.

Medical records revealed that the child had “multiple non-blanching, purple/red colored pinpoint or small circular red marks noted to the chest wall and right shoulder,” according to court documents.