5-Month-Old Baby Dies Of Methamphetamine Intoxication; Mother Charged With Murder

A woman in Kentucky who was previously arrested for abusing the corpse of her 5-month-old baby has been charged with the infant's murder on Friday, Jan. 14, after it was found that the newborn died of methamphetamine intoxication.

Shaylynn Curtis, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested in October 2021 after her friend called the police out of worry for the mother’s baby’s health after she took the infant to the friend’s house. She reportedly wrapped a blanket around the infant and left him in the attic with no explanation, according to ABC affiliate WTVQ.

When the police arrived at the scene, it was found that the baby had been dead for 24 hours. Curtis was then arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, for which she received a light $5,000 bail amount that she decided not to post, Law&Crime reported.

The autopsy of the infant brought new light to the situation, however, and showed that he died of methamphetamine intoxication, for which neither the police nor the medical examiner has any idea as to how it was introduced to the child. Nevertheless, this prompted them to move forward with the murder charge.

During her arraignment for the charge of abusing a corpse, prosecutor Carrie Ovey-Wiggins said that they would be introducing the new charge of murder to the defendant, with a warrant for the new charge being served to her that Friday.

“Your honor, she was indicted this morning by the grand jury for the infant’s murder,” Ovey-Wiggins said.

Curtis’ lawyer Cody Hooks entered a not guilty plea to the crime of abusing a corpse, though it has not been publicized as of yet if they were able to enter a plea for the murder charge. Her bail was upgraded to $1 million after the murder charge was added.

She is scheduled to appear in court again in February.