Police in Georgia have charged a mother and two individuals with murder after a 3-month-old baby died from allegedly being wrapped in a wet blanket and placed in front of an air conditioner.
A case report reviewed by PEOPLE shows that on Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at a Budget Inn hotel located at 1616 Gordon Highway about “an unknown situation” shortly after 2:00 a.m.
Upon their arrival, police state that infant Josiah Noel Seright was found wrapped in a wet blanket inside a car seat next to an air conditioning unit at the hotel, reports WJBF, WSAZ-TV, and The Augusta Chronicle.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
According to the outlets, the unit was allegedly set to 61 degrees for an unknown amount of time while the baby’s mother, September De’asia Seright, 19, and two other adults, Lamisha Diane Seright, 42, and Bennie Antonio Nash, 39, remained in the room and lounged on a couch and bed.
The baby was transported to Wellstar MCG Health for treatment, where he was pronounced dead at 2:37 a.m., the case report shows.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
While the case remains under investigation, authorities state the baby died from hypothermia and respiratory failure, reports WJBF, The Augusta Chronicle, and The Augusta Press.
Hypothermia occurs after a body is exposed to “cold, wet, or windy conditions,” the Cleveland Clinic states on its website.
“Eventually, with continued exposure to cold temperatures, your body uses up its stored energy and your body temperature begins to fall. Hypothermia is a medical emergency and needs immediate treatment,” the Cleveland Clinic adds, noting that “babies have the highest surface area for their weight and lose heat the most rapidly.”
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The three adults have been arrested and charged with cruelty to a child in the second degree and murder in the second degree, the case report shows. PEOPLE has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
