RESERVE, La. — A man and a woman are in custody after a baby was found deceased in their house in Reserve, Louisiana, officials say.
In a news release, St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said that Angel Taylor, 24, and Chevy Lafountain, 31, were arrested last Tuesday. They are facing multiple charges including neglect, child abuse, and second-degree murder.
Around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, deputies were called to the 100 block of Northwest 18th Street in Reserve about a baby not breathing, the sheriff’s office said. Once on the scene, deputies and emergency medical services found a 4-month-old baby girl unresponsive in her bed. The paramedics were unable to detect any vital signs from the baby, so the coroner pronounced the baby dead at the scene.
St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre called the incident the worst case of child neglect he has ever seen, according to Nola.com. Tregre said that the baby looked very malnourished and had signs of physical abuse. Her older brother, a 13-month-old, had signs of neglect and abuse but did not seem to be malnourished to investigators.
Investigators found that the baby and her brother were living in a house that was in “deplorable condition,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The boy was taken into state custody, according to The Associated Press.
On Wednesday, an autopsy was conducted. According to the sheriff’s office, the autopsy showed that the baby suffered from starvation, malnutrition, dehydration, severe neglect, and child abuse. All contributed to her death.
“During interviews with Taylor and Lafountain, detectives determined their statements were inconsistent with the infant’s physical state and both appeared unremorseful for their actions that led to their daughter’s death and their son’s current physical condition and their living conditions,” the sheriff’s office said.
Taylor and Lafountain are both being held on a $600,000 bond, according to the AP.
