An Indiana mother has been charged with reckless homicide after her child died in her bed after she fell asleep while breastfeeding in October 2023. This comes after a similar incident occurred with another one of her children in 2020.
According to court documents obtained by Fox affiliate WXIN, Aaliyah Lykins, of Muncie, faces one count of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony, and one count of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, surrounding the incident.
Muncie Police Found Child to be Unresponsive After Lykins Called 911
On Oct. 9, 2023, personnel with the Muncie Fire Department and the Muncie Police Department were dispatched to a home in east Muncie on a call of a cardiac arrest of an infant. When officials arrived, the child was "found to be limp, with no signs of respiration" and was later pronounced dead.
Officials said Lykins was identified as the child's mother as well as the person who reported the incident. The documents stated that Lykins told the 911 dispatcher that she was breastfeeding the infant and fell asleep.
While speaking with EMS personnel, the documents stated, Lykins reportedly made a statement, telling them: "Oh no, I did it again."
Lykins' Previously Lost Child in 2020 After Falling Asleep While Breastfeeding but was not Charged
Officials said this is reportedly the second time this has happened to Lykins. According to court documents, another of her children was pronounced dead on Oct. 30, 2020, after he was found co-sleeping with Lykins in bed. At the time, Lykins reportedly told officers that "she should not have placed (the child) in bed with her and that she knew it was wrong."
"Lykins was fully aware of the danger of co-sleeping with her infant... as she had a prior born child die while co-sleeping," the documents stated. Ultimately, Lykins was not charged in connection with that 2020 case, although investigators had prepared a probable cause affidavit.
