Dec 2, 2008 4:57 pm US/Eastern
Teen Mom Allegedly Suffocates Baby With Teddy Bear
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
-
-
Initially, the mother told police she found the child unresponsive in his crib, but she later confessed that she suffocated him.
WBZ
-
-
The 1-year-old was rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
WBZ
A 16-year-old Worcester High School mother is accused of suffocating her 13-month-old child with a teddy bear and police say she did it because she was frustrated her child was sick.
Police say emergency crews were called to 3 Henderson Ave. in Worcester Sunday morning. When they arrived, the mother, Thunga Truong, handed her baby, Khyle, over to the paramedics. The baby was not breathing.
Khyle was rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Initially, Truong told police she found her baby unresponsive in his crib, but she later confessed that she suffocated him.
Truong was placed under arrest and charged with first degree murder. Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst said, "based on information that was provided at the scene and at the station with the detectives, we developed enough information to make the arrest of the mother for the death of this child."
The mother's 17-year-old boyfriend, Edwin Vasquez, who is not the father of the child, said Truong did not kill her baby. He said the baby stopped breathing.
Vasquez said Truong has always been a loving mother. "She's a loving, caring, kind-hearted person. She loves her family, her friends. She loves me and her son. Loves her mom. (She's) like a typical nice little girl."
Vasquez, said he's been living in the apartment with Truong, her mother and her two brothers, but is not the baby's father. "I know they pressured her for saying it. I know she wouldn't do it. Cause if it happened, I would have heard it from there."
Defense attorney Edward Ryan said, "first of all, the baby had been diagnosed with either asthma or bronchitis at some point in time, was on the use of nebulizer, may have been running a fever that night and was taking some Tylenol."
Ryan says he plans to retain a forensic pathologist and challenge police interviews with her. "She was subjected to an unrepresented interrogation for several hours at the Worcester Police Department. She does maintain her innocence."
But Worcester Police say Truong was read her Miranda rights before being asked any questions at the police station, was given the opportunity to speak with her mother before questioning...she declined and never asked for a lawyer.
The prosecutor in the case said today the mother of that baby has a history of truancy and running away from home.
Truong was ordered held without bail in a juvenile facility. Her next court appearance is scheduled for January 7.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Hyannis Man Loses License For Life After OUI 1 hr 23 mins ago
2 Shot Overnight In Roxbury 17 mins ago
Stumble It!
