Sentenced: Richmond Babysitter Faces Felony Charge Over Baby's Death

[Sugar Cookie]

A Richmond babysitter faces a felony charge over the death of a baby in her care.

Shawntae Marie Griffee, 36, was charged last week with reckless supervision by a childcare provider.

According to court documents, Griffee on Jan. 24 determined the child — an 8-month-old boy — was not breathing when she observed him in a bassinet he had been sleeping in.

She tried to resuscitate him by performing CPR, as did a Richmond police officer and the emergency medical personnel who took the baby to Reid Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy was conducted, and a forensic pathologist ruled the boy had died as a result of "positional asphyxia."

According to an affidavit, Griffee acknowledged she had placed the baby in a "SleepSack swaddle."

The document said that involved placing the "swaddle" on the child "like pants and zipped up the front."

"The infant's arms are then put through two holes in the outfit," an officer wrote. "One sleeve binds one arm down and the other sleeve 'velcros' into the other sleeve. This swaddles the baby and prevents the infant from freely moving its arms."

Griffee said the 8-month-old child was "old enough to turn onto his side or back and was trying to crawl" and also "could work his way out of the SleepSack, and he had a habit of turning himself over in the bassinet."

According to an officer, instructions on the SleepSack indicated it should only be used for infants up to 3 months old, with a direction to "stop swaddling when your baby shows signs of rolling over or breaking out of the swaddling."

Those instructions also specified that nothing should be placed with a baby in their "sleep space."

Griffee reportedly told police she placed a nursing pillow and a blanket in the bassinet with the child. When she found him not breathing, she said, "the baby blanket in the bassinet was in his face."

Court records reflect that on the day of the baby's death, Griffee — who is not a licensed daycare provider — was watching nine children at her South M Street home.

In late March, she received a notice "to cease and desist operating an unlicensed child care home" from the Indiana Family and Social Security Administration.

MSN

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Xyaire Jakobi Lane Wilson


I wish I could just hug the mom. She may never know but we should all send her love.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

State of Indiana v. Shawntae Marie Griffee​

06/10/2025

Sentenced Judicial Officer: Horn, Gregory A 1. 35-46-1-4.1(b)/F6: Reckless Supervision by a Child Care Provider the reckless supervision results i Confinement to Commence: 06/09/2025 County Jail Term: 2 Yr Jail Credit: 1 Day Suspended: 1 Yr 364 Days Comment: If defendant successfully completes probation, judgment of conviction will be entered as a Class A Misdemeanor.