Ohio mom Samantha Knisley awoke to every parent’s worst nightmare on September 13— her three-month-old daughter had turned “purple” after she took a nap with the child cradled in her arms.
Dearly previously reported that police received a frantic call from the 23-year-old florist’s Kent residence in the evening after an unidentified man found baby Isabella bleeding and “blue all over.“
The man told police:
“I just stepped in my friends house, her baby is not breathing right now! … Her nose is bleeding.”
Officers guided the man through CPR until paramedics could arrive. The baby was taken to University Hospitals Portage Medical Center where she tragically passed away.
It was later determined that Knisley had accidentally fallen asleep “on top” of the three-month-old child while they were co-sleeping.
And on Tuesday, the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for her baby girl’s death, Fox 8 reports.
Knisley could face up to 11 years behind bars for the crime and around $20,000 in fines if sentenced.
Roughly 3,500 infants die as a result of sleep-related incidents each year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The AAP recommends that infants should never share a bed with their parents because the risk of injury is high, particularly for babies under four months.
Infants should instead be placed in a crib with a firm surface, free from any blankets or pillows.
Model and mother of two Chrissy Teigen came under fire this week for not abiding by AAP guidelines, after she posted a photo of her newborn son sleeping in a fur-covered bassinet.
Many fans of the model called her out for the potentially dangerous choice of bedding.
It’s unclear when Knisley will head to court for sentencing.
