ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The owner of an unlicensed daycare in Florissant has been indicted for the death of a 4-month-old child in her care.
First responders with the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District arrived at the residence in the 200 block of Du Bourg Lane around 5 p.m. on February 12.
Judy M. Fields, 28, told EMS she had changed the child’s diaper and placed him on a bouncer just after 2 p.m. Fields said she was asleep for approximately an hour before waking up and discovering the the infant was unresponsive.
Florissant police claim that Fields, who rented the property to operate the daycare, was responsible for 16 kids at the time she found the 4-month-old unresponsive. A spokesperson for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which regulates child care facilities, told FOX 2 back in February that there were 12 children at the home.
The child was rushed to Christian Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 5:50 p.m.
Police claim the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the 4-month-old died as a result of positional asphyxia.
A St. Louis County grand jury charged Fields with endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death. She was jailed on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
