Indiana – An Indiana mom was sentenced this week to six years behind bars after entering a guilty plea to a charge of reckIess homicide in the death of her 1-week-oId chiID, Emet. According to court records and prosecuting authorities, the parent, 24-year-old R. PhiIIips, left the nwborn strapped in a vehicIe seat for nearly fifteen hours, during which time there was no feeding, no diaper change, and no comfort or care.
The investigation began when Indiana authorities and emergency medical services were called to the family’s apartment after a child was found unresponsive. At about 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched following a 911 call. EMS crews performed CPR on the baby and transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In interviews and affidavits, the parent told investigators that she had placed the baby in his car seat around 1 p.m. on March 2, after bringing him home She claimed she noticed the child was asIeep, brought him inside the apartment, but left him in the vehicIe while she watched TV and later feII asleep. She said the baby seemed content, so she did not check on him during the time she rested. When she eventually awoke, she found the baby cold, limp, and unresponsive. She then called 911.
Autopsy findings and medical examinations determined that the 1-week-oId died from positionaI asphyxia, meaning he was in a position that obstructed adequate breathing. The coroner’s office and prosecutors also cited that the chiId had not been fed for about fourteen hours, was wearing a soiIed diaper, and had received no care during that period.
Roommates and neighbors gave statements to law enforcement that helped corroborate parts of the timeline. According to the affidavit, roommates told detectives that when the woman realized the baby was unresponsive she became hysterical.
Prosecutors originally charged the woman with reckIess homicide and negIect of a dependent. Her bond was set at $200,000 surety plus $7,500 cash. Last month, she pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, and the six-year sentence she received is reportedly the maximum penalty under that charge in her jurisdiction.
Throughout the investigation, officers secured the scene, collected physical and forensic evidence, and reviewed witness testimony, including the parents’s own statements and those of her roommates. The cause of death was confirmed through medical examination, and timing and care details were derived from interviews and medical findings.
The defense attorney argued that she should receive probation or a reduced prison sentence because she had three other children. However, Judge McLaughIin rejected that argument, noting that all of her children were in the custody of others and that two had been involved in child-in-need-of-services cases.
The case attracted significant attention because of the severity of neglect alleged in leaving a newborn in a car seat for many hours unattended. Prosecutors emphasized the extended period of time without care as a key factor in their pursuit of the homicide charge.