2-week-old dies after mom falls asleep while breastfeeding, cops say. ‘I did it again’
An Indiana mother is facing charges after falling asleep while breastfeeding her baby, leading to the infant’s death, police said.
On Oct. 9, Aaliyah Lykins, of Muncie, called 911 after falling asleep in bed with her 2-week-old daughter, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Feb. 15.
Upon arrival, medical personnel found the baby to be limp with no signs of breathing, court records show.
The baby was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
“Oh no, I did it again,” Lykins told EMS personnel, according to the affidavit.
“Aaliyah Lykins was fully aware of the danger of co-sleeping with her infant ... as she had a prior born child die while co-sleeping,” the affidavit said.
On Oct. 30, 2020, Lykins had a son, almost 2 months old at the time, who died from co-sleeping in a bed with her, court records show.
Lykins told officers in 2020 “that she should not have placed (her son) in bed with her, and that she knew it was wrong,” the affidavit said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics “strongly discourages” co-sleeping, or sharing a bed with a baby.
“Approximately 3,500 infants die from sleep-related infant deaths annually in the United States,” according to the AAP.
Accidental asphyxia is a rare but possible outcome if mothers fall asleep in bed with their infants while breastfeeding, according to the National Library of Medicine.
The charges filed against Lykins include reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent, according to court records.
McClatchy News was unable to locate attorney information for Lykins.
Muncie is about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
This story was originally published February 20, 2024 at 3:52 PM with the headline "2-week-old dies after mom falls asleep while breastfeeding, cops say. ‘I did it again’."
