Monongahela woman charged with homicide in infant son’s death
A mother is accused of causing the death of her 13-day-old baby in their Monongahela apartment Tuesday morning.
Darian Helmantoler, 22, is facing homicide and other felony charges in connection with the death of the infant boy, who was found with blood coming from his nose and injuries to the face and neck area, Monongahela police allege in court documents.
Paramedics were called to the apartment in the 200 block of Chess Street shortly before 9 a.m. after Helmantoler called 911 to report that the child was not breathing.
Helmantoler told police that she had been sleeping in bed with the baby and got up around 4 a.m. to feed the child before falling back asleep.
Blood could be seen on Helmantoler’s shirt, and investigators said they found a bloody paper tower in the bathroom, according to court documents. In addition to the child bleeding from the nose, police said he also had a cut on his forehead, which Helmantoler claimed to be from the boy’s “long fingernails.”
Police said Helmantoler stayed inside the apartment while medics tended to the child, and that she was hysterical while talking to officers. She told police that she would “be going to jail” if the boy died because it was her child, according to court documents.
The child was taken by ambulance to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital in Carroll Township, where he was pronounced dead. A cause of death for the boy was not immediately released.
According to police, Helmantoler allegedly told investigators during an interview that she may have rolled onto the child while sleeping. She also told officers that there may have been a “baby camera” recording in the room at the time, although it’s not known if video of the incident was located by investigators. She added that she was the only person in the apartment at the time of the incident, police said.
In addition to homicide, Helmantoler is also facing charges of aggravated assault, child endangerment and reckless endangerment.
She was arraigned Tuesday morning by District Judge Mark Wilson and is being held without bond at the Washington County jail while awaiting her preliminary hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 20. No attorney is listed for her in online court documents.
State police and the Washington County district attorney’s detectives were called to assist Monongahela police with their investigation.