A woman coming down off a methamphetamine high last year, leaving her 7-month-old baby boy unattended for 15 hours before he was found dead, was sentenced to prison.
Calling it a "horrendous case," Judge Charles L. Ricketts III gave 20-year-old Christan Haynes four years behind bars, going well above Virginia's recommended sentencing guidelines that called for a maximum six-month sentence.
Taking the stand Wednesday, Capt. Rebecca Meeks of the Waynesboro Police Department said the baby, Zayden, was found deceased with a "super heavy, gray blanket" and an adult-sized pillow in his crib the afternoon of March 3, 2018. The blanket was used to prop up the baby's bottle, she said.
Waynesboro assistant prosecutor Elysse Stolpe said Haynes had smoked meth three days earlier, which kept her awake. Stolpe said Haynes knew she was about to "crash" and put her rest above the baby's needs.
"She set him up to fend for himself," Stolpe said.
After 12 hours of sleep, Stolpe said Haynes heard the baby crying the next day at 11 a.m. but did not check on him. Three hours later, Haynes, 18 years old at the time, woke up shortly after 2 p.m. and posted a selfie on Facebook. Minutes later, a 911 call was placed after the baby was found unresponsive and face down with one foot sticking out from under the blanket.
Waynesboro woman sentenced in dead baby case
The baby, just 7 months old, was found dead with a "super heavy" blanket after his mother slept off meth high, evidence showed.
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