A Virginia woman who reportedly told police that she awoke next to her unconscious baby is now facing murder charges.
Lindsey Renee Burnette, 37, was charged with felony murder, child abuse and neglect with serious injury, and cruelty and injury to children after being arrested on September 3. The previous day, a grand jury indicted her on the charges.
Burnette’s 2-month-old son, Aka-rri Burnette-Coleman, died on February 14 after paramedics responded to a call about an unconscious baby in her home. He was pronounced dead when they arrived.
According to police, Burnette said she fell asleep with the baby in her bed beside her. When she awoke that morning, she informed the police that the baby was unconscious. She called for help, and first responders arrived around 9:30 a.m.
According to police, Aka-rri died of “suffocation and acute methamphetamine toxicity,” according to the medical examiner’s report. It was also determined that the baby died as a result of his mother rolling onto him while sleeping.
Burnette, who has a lengthy criminal record in Virginia’s Roanoke County, including multiple arrests for methamphetamine possession and racketeering, was taken into custody on September 3 and booked into the Roanoke City Adult Detention Center. She is being held without bail and is set to appear in court on October 6.
