An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal neglect charges after her 2-month-old son died in what investigators describe as an unsafe co-sleeping situation. The baby was found unresponsive at the family’s home on Sept. 19, 2024, and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Prosecutors filed the case in March 2026, and the woman was booked into jail on April 1 before appearing for an initial hearing on April 7. Two other children have since been removed from the home.
What investigators allege
In a probable cause affidavit obtained by Local 12, police say the infant had been put to sleep on a queen-sized mattress that he was sharing with his 6-year-old sibling. He was later found face down, with his face partially covered by a blanket.
According to investigators, the mother showed police a video that appeared to show the baby sleeping chest-down on top of the older child. An autopsy described the case as a “sudden explained death of an infant,” with an intrinsic factor tied to the unsafe sleep setup, according to the affidavit.
Records from the Department of Child Services cited in the filing state that the mother had signed a Safe Sleep Safety Plan in July 2024. That plan warned her not to co-sleep with the baby and not to use marijuana while caring for the children. Investigators say she told them she went downstairs that morning to smoke, leaving the children alone upstairs.
State data and safe-sleep guidance
Indiana’s Department of Child Services has identified unsafe sleep conditions as one of the leading contributors to child fatalities in the state. The agency’s most recent annual report found that 59 children died from abuse or neglect in 2024 and listed unsafe sleep as a top factor, according to WRTV.
National pediatric guidance, including researchers writing in Pediatrics on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe-sleep rules, stresses the “ABCs” of infant sleep: Alone, on their Back, in a Crib. Those same experts note that many parents struggle to follow those recommendations consistently, which they say helps explain why risky sleep arrangements remain common.
Prosecutors’ approach and precedent
Indiana prosecutors have in recent years brought criminal neglect cases when they say parents ignored warnings or used drugs while caring for infants. One 2024 case, detailed by The Indiana Lawyer, ended with a lengthy prison sentence after an infant died during co-sleeping tied to parental drug use.
In that case, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers said, “Every infant death case that ends up in criminal court is preventable,” a line local prosecutors often refer back to when there has been prior intervention and evidence of ongoing risk in the home.
What’s next
The defendant, 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis, is charged with three counts of neglect of a dependent. Court records show prosecutors formally filed the case in March 2026, according to Local 12. A bail review hearing is scheduled for Monday. Future court dates and any additional filings will be set through the Marion County docket.
Legal implications
The charges accuse Davis of criminal neglect connected to her infant’s death, a type of case prosecutors say they typically pursue when there have been prior warnings, documented safety plans, or signs of substance use while caregiving. If the case moves toward trial, attorneys and the court will be weighing the autopsy findings, the DCS history, and the details laid out in the affidavit as they decide whether it heads to a jury, is resolved with plea negotiations, or ends in some other outcome.
