23-year-old Antoniya Belcher is in custody after being on the run for a year.
Belcher was wanted for the "accidental death due to asphyxiation" of her two-week-old daughter, who she was sleeping with on an air mattress.
The girl was found to have barbiturates and cannabinoids in her system at the time of her death. She was also dehydrated.
At the time of the girl's death Belcher and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Devin Alexander resided together.
One of the couple’s other children living at the home told detectives in court documents it was common for Belcher and Alexander to sleep with their infant daughter on the mattress. This child also said in court document that one of the couple’s other children, a 2-year-old, would sometimes join them.
Belcher told detectives she and the girl and Alexander slept on an air mattress on the floor of the living room the previous night, court documents said. Belcher said in court documents she changed the girl’s diaper at 3 a.m. and gave her a bottle at 5 a.m. and the girl seemed fine.
Later, Belcher woke up and noticed the girl’s lips were blue and she was cold to the touch, according to court documents.
Belcher had been warned multiple times about co-sleeping and smoking marijuana around the child. One day prior to the child's death during a wellness check she
was reminded about safe sleeping practices and using marijuana.
During a walkthrough of Belcher’s and Alexander’s home after the child’s death, an investigator found marijuana residue that appeared to have been lit on fire on a small table within arm’s reach of the air mattress. The investigator also found a plastic red cup with tobacco shavings on the table.
Source ArticleAlexander was booked into Allen County Jail on the same day a warrant for his arrest was issued. He then bonded out and is now facing a trial this coming August.
Belcher, however, evaded capture for 10 months until found in Clark County, which is in the southern part of the state at the Indiana-Kentucky line.
