Kentucky mother, father charged in death of 17-month-old baby
A Kentucky mother and father have been charged in the death of their 17-month-old baby, according to the Middlesboro Police Department.
The incident happened July 30 at a home in Middlesboro. Police said life-saving measures were performed on the child, who was taken to Middlesboro ARH Hospital and later died.
Bell County Coronor Jay Steele said he was unable to release the baby’s name while the investigation is ongoing.
Loren Gage and Dakota Spencer, both 26, were indicted Wednesday, according to court records. Gage is charged with wanton murder, and Spencer is charged with first-degree manslaughter.
Mike Taylor, the 44th Judicial Circuit attorney who is prosecuting the case, said Gage was the baby’s mother and Spencer was the father. Around midnight on the day of the incident, Gage was “extraordinarily intoxicated” and fell asleep on the couch with the baby against the back of the couch.
It appeared the baby was smothered while Gage slept, Taylor said. The full autopsy report is pending, and an official cause and manner of the baby’s death has not been determined.
Gage woke up at one point and smoked a cigarette before going back to sleep, according to Taylor. The baby is believed to have already been dead at this point, but Gage didn’t realize what happened until she woke up around 7 a.m. on July 30.
Spencer was in the same room as Gage and the baby during the entirety of the incident, which was captured on video, Taylor said.
“This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life,” Taylor said. “The grand jury listened to it, I’ve listened to it multiple times. On the video, which also has audio, you can hear that child’s last breath.”
Gage and Spencer were served indictment warrants on Wednesday and booked into the Bell County Detention Center, police said. The indictments say Gage engaged in wanton conduct that caused the death of the baby, while Spencer permitted abuse of the baby and allowed Gage to cause the baby’s death.
Bonds have not been set in Gage’s and Spencer’s cases, according to court records. They are scheduled to be arraigned in Bell Circuit Court on Sept. 29.
