Can parents be charged after baby dies of SIDS in Indiana? ... anyone know?

A baby in Indiana tragically died at 12 days old from what’s suspected to be SIDS. The baby tested positive for strep B but the mom tested negative. The mom’s umbilical cord tested positive for drugs, but the baby had no drugs in its system. Both parents woke up in the morning to find the baby had passed. Is there any chance the parents could be charged for the baby’s death? If so, what could they be charged with? It seems like they’ve been through a lot already. The mom lost a baby 2 years ago when a dog got on top of it. No charges were filed back then, but could this situation lead to charges of neglect or something else?

That’s such a sad story. I’m guessing the cause of death is still being investigated, right? If it’s undetermined, they might have a chance to avoid serious charges.

Mason said:
That’s such a sad story. I’m guessing the cause of death is still being investigated, right? If it’s undetermined, they might have a chance to avoid serious charges.

Yeah, if the autopsy doesn’t show clear signs of neglect or foul play, it could be hard to charge them with anything. Maybe they’ll go with SIDS as the cause.

Mason said:
That’s such a sad story. I’m guessing the cause of death is still being investigated, right? If it’s undetermined, they might have a chance to avoid serious charges.

Right, I’m hoping for them that they won’t face any criminal charges. The fact that it says ‘undetermined’ might help a lot.

Could the parents be facing manslaughter or neglect charges? If the baby was smothered accidentally while they were co-sleeping, I guess that could come into play?

Wray said:
Could the parents be facing manslaughter or neglect charges? If the baby was smothered accidentally while they were co-sleeping, I guess that could come into play?

I think that could be a possibility. They need to prove neglect was involved, though, which sounds tough given the baby’s test results.

If SIDS is listed, they probably can’t be charged for anything, right? Seems like it’s not their fault if the death was just an uncontrollable tragedy.

Palmer said:
If SIDS is listed, they probably can’t be charged for anything, right? Seems like it’s not their fault if the death was just an uncontrollable tragedy.

Exactly. But if there’s evidence that something else caused the death, like accidental smothering, then it’s a different story.

Is it possible for the state to offer a lesser charge to the parents? It seems like a tough situation, and I’m wondering if they’d even consider that.

Shawn said:
Is it possible for the state to offer a lesser charge to the parents? It seems like a tough situation, and I’m wondering if they’d even consider that.

Yeah, the state can offer a plea deal with lesser charges. It’s more about what evidence they have, though.

Shawn said:
Is it possible for the state to offer a lesser charge to the parents? It seems like a tough situation, and I’m wondering if they’d even consider that.

Would they be more likely to do that if the parents didn’t intentionally cause harm? Like if it was just a tragic accident?

This whole situation is really messed up. I feel for the parents, especially if the cause of death is just SIDS. I hope they can get through this without facing charges.

Terry said:
This whole situation is really messed up. I feel for the parents, especially if the cause of death is just SIDS. I hope they can get through this without facing charges.

Same here. It’s such a heartbreaking situation. I hope the investigation gives them some peace of mind.