Ga. Couple Charged with Murder After Baby Suffocates to Death While Sleeping on Plush Pillow in Crib

A couple faces second-degree murder charges for allegedly letting the woman's 3-month-old sleep face down on a soft pillow, which caused him to suffocate

Photo: Coweta County Sheriff's Office

A Georgia woman and her boyfriend are charged in the death of her 3-month old son, who suffocated after falling asleep face-down on a plush pillow in his crib, multiple outlets report.

Elizabeth Norris, 23, and Adam Brady, 30, were arrested on Monday and charged with second-degree murder, local outlets including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV report. The baby slept on his stomach on a long, plush pillow the couple allegedly placed at the bottom of his fold-up crib, WSB-TV reports.

The Coweta County Medical Examiner identified the child as Cassius Norris, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

The coroner says the cause of death was suffocation from not being able to lift his head from the soft pillow, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

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“We have proof that Norris and Brady were well aware of the dangers of putting a child face down in a crib,” Newnan police Deputy Chief Mark Cooper said at a press conference, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Cooper added, “We can’t release the proof we have because this is an active investigation but we are working with DFACS and know they were told multiple times about the risks. They had a total disregard for this child’s life and their neglect caused his death.”

Police interviews with the couple also contributed to their arrests, said Cooper, who would not provide further details about what they said, WSB-TV reports.

On March 28, Brady said he found the boy dead when he returned home at about 5:30 a.m. from work at a Cracker Barrel restaurant, according to a police incident report, the Journal-Constitution reports.

Brady said the baby wasn’t breathing and that he tried unsuccessfully to wake him up, the report says. He allegedly waited until 10 a.m. to call 911, the report says, according to WSB-TV.

A preliminary autopsy report indicated the baby died at 4:30 a.m., WSB-TV reports.

Both suspects are being held at the Coweta County Jail without bond, online jail records show.

They have not yet entered pleas and it is unclear whether they have retained attorneys who can comment on their behalf.

They are scheduled to return to court in December and January 2019, online jail records show.

PEOPLE’s calls to the Newnan Police Department and the district attorney were not returned.