A Winter Haven Mom Has Been Arrested After Second Newborn Dies
On Wednesday a Winter Haven mom was arrested for the death of her second newborn baby.
Erin Piche-Pitts, 25, is charged with aggravated manslaughter after falling asleep next to her 18-day-old newborn and waking up to an unresponsive baby.
The actual incident took place on October 6, 2016. The baby woke up in a bassinet next to Piche-Pitts’ bed and began crying. The mother then took the baby out of the bassinet and propped the baby up with a pillow next to her on her own bed. The baby’s head was placed in the crook of Piche-Pitts’ arm and the mother then fell asleep for about two and a half hours. When she woke up the baby was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the Winter Haven hospital.
Seems like an honest mistake right? However, this is not Piche-Pitts’ first time losing a newborn baby.
In December 2009 she fell asleep while breastfeeding her 13-day-old newborn. Same thing happened, when she woke up the baby was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the hospital. In that case the baby’s cause of death was ruled asphyxia “due to probable overlay and co-sleeping.” The case was ruled an accident.
With the death of her newborn in 2009 Piche-Pitts received many warnings about the dangers of sleeping with newborn babies. She also received counseling and was given educational information about the dangers of doing so.
In August 2009 and March 2016 she received face-to-face counseling through the “Healthy Starts” training program.
Unfortunately her history consists of multiple arrests though:
- May 10, 2005 – Arrested by WHPD for Battery Domestic Violence
- April 4, 2010 – Arrested by WHPD for Aggravated Battery
- August 14, 2011 – Arrested by PCSO for Battery Domestic Violence
- October 29, 2012 – Arrested by WHPD for Larceny
- April 14, 2013 – Arrested by PCSO for Failure to Appear, VOP
- November 21, 2013 – Arrested by WHPD for Battery Domestic Violence
- February 9, 2014 – Arrested by PCSO for Burglary, Larceny
- May 6, 2014 – Arrested by WHPD for Interference With Child Custody, Fraud
- July 16, 2016 (while pregnant) – Arrested by PCSO for Possession of Meth, Paraphernalia
All of her criminal history is from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.