Mum Charged After Infant Was Found Dead In Car Seat

Chicago police have arrested the mother of a 7-month-old baby girl after the child was found dead in a car seat inside a West Side apartment early Wednesday evening.

Erica Hampton, 25, faces two charges of misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and one felony count of child endangerment resulting in death, DNAinfo Chicago reports.

Seven-month-old Lamya Hampton was found wrapped in a snowsuit and blanket and left in a car seat on top of a bunk bed inside the home in the 3700 block of West 13th Street. ABC Chicago reports fire crews found the infant unresponsive; she was pronounced dead at an area hospital a short time later.

Fire crews responded to the home just after 3:30 p.m. when a neighbor alerted officials that three young siblings — the baby and girls aged 2 and 6 — were left unattended in their home. The neighbor said after the eldest sibling came to her door asking for food because there was none at home, she decided to check on the children, according to NBC Chicago.

The Tribune reports the baby’s mother was stopped in a Jeep Cherokee about two blocks away from the home about 30 minutes later. The mother was taken into custody shortly after.

“The arrestee left the victims unattended,” according to the police report. “Said actions caused the death of (Lamya Hampton) and endangered the lives and well-being” of her sisters.

The two sisters were taken to an area hospital but were not injured. They will remain in protective custody of the Department of Child and Family Services.

“It’s hard to believe. It’s a good family,” said Tierra Stamps, 28, who has lived across the street for 21 years. “People in the neighborhood are saying the baby was in a car seat with a snow suit on. I saw a neighbor come out of the building, flagging a car down, crying.”

“I saw the fire department bring the baby out in their hands … she was normal except lifeless, her arms were dangling at her sides,” Stamps said. “I was shocked at it happening around here. It was heartbreaking, it was a baby — a human being.”