A Phoenix mother is accused of smothering her baby three times, the last time occurring while the child was in the hospital.
Phoenix police report that on October 25, they arrested 21-year-old Emily Morissette after she reportedly admitted to covering her baby’s nose and mouth with her hand.
She allegedly did this three times -- twice at her home near 19th Avenue and Buckeye Road and once while the child was at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Police say, in each case, the 2-month-old boy stopped breathing and required CPR to be revived.
In the last incident, Morissette pulled the emergency cord after allegedly smothering the baby in the hospital. Hospital staff performed CPR and saved the boy.
She is being held on a $100,000 bond for child abuse.
If you suspect a child is being abused, the Arizona Department of Child Services has resources available to report the issue to a social worker. You can call the Arizona Child Abuse Hotline at 1-888-SOS-CHILD (1-888-767-2445), and will be asked for information about the child, as well as the nature of your concerns. You can also get more information from DCS about reporting abuse or neglect online.
