Florida Mom Arrested After 2 Infants Die While Sleeping in Bed With Her

A Florida woman was arrested this week after two of her newborn babies died while co-sleeping with her despite multiple warnings the mother was given about the dangers of sleeping in the same bed with her infants, authorities said.

Erin Piche-Pitts, 25, was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child Tuesday after her 18-day-old boy died in October when Piche-Pitts fell asleep while bottle-feeding him in her arms in bed, according to an arrest affidavit from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was the second time Piche-Pitts had a newborn die while co-sleeping.

In 2009, the mother’s 13-day-old daughter died from asphyxia after Piche-Pitts fell asleep while breastfeeding, authorities said. The first case was deemed an accident. Since then, she had received “repeated warnings” about co-sleeping, local authorities said.

Investigators said Piche-Pitts woke up “in a panic” when her son was unresponsive in October because she knew “it happened again,” the affidavit said.

Piche-Pitts was also charged with methamphetamine possession earlier this year while she was pregnant with her son, although that case was later dropped, the Associated Press reports.

She appeared for a bond hearing Wednesday, but the bond amount is not yet known. It’s unclear if Piche-Pitts has a lawyer.