Mother, Grandmother Suspected In Chicago Infant’s Homicide

The Cook County, Chicago medical examiner’s office ruled the death of three-week-old Emonie Beasley-Brown a homicide after an autopsy revealed that she died of suffocation, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Police arrived at the family’s residence in the Englewood area of Chicago to investigate a report that Emonie’s 14-year-old mother was missing. Upon their arrival, the police heard an infant’s cry, but were not allowed to enter. It was determined that she was being held in a crawl space as someone held a hand over her mouth for about 10 minutes to prevent her from crying, but her wails grew even louder.

According to a preliminary police report, that person then “placed both hands over her face and applied pressure for about 20 minutes.” It wasn’t until her nose began to bleed that someone exited the back of the home, entered into an alley and took the baby to a neighbor’s house and 911 was called.

The baby was unresponsive at the scene, and after being taken to Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition was pronounced dead at 10:35 p.m. Thursday night.

Though no one has been charged in her death, according to police News Affairs Officer Darryl Baety, both the infant’s 14-year-old mother, who had been reported missing, and grandmother are being investigated as suspects in her murder.
The Chicago Tribune reports:

The child’s 14-year-old mother was taken away from the scene in the front seat of an unmarked squad car.

At the hospital, the baby suffered “prolonged cardiac arrest’’ and a lack of oxygen to the brain, police said. She could not breath on her own, did not respond to pain, was placed on a ventilator, and was given medication to help her heart, police said.

Three people were initially investigated for obstructing the police. Police took as evidence a pink baby blanket with blood on it and a baby bottle.