ALEXANDER CASEY - 3 months - (2009) / Accused: Mother, Ashleigh Jennifer Casey - Farmington, MO

Mother, 25, who 'smothered her baby son four years ago was arrested after trying to do the same thing to her daughter just so she could get doctor's attention'

By Rachel Quigley
PUBLISHED: 07:39 EST, 17 July 2013 | UPDATED: 08:04 EST, 17 July 2013


A mother has been arrested for the 2009 death of her three-month-old son which was discovered after she allegedly tried to smother her baby daughter to get doctor's attention.

Ashleigh Jennifer Casey, 25, from - Hennepin County, has been charged with second-degree murder for the March 12, 2009, death of her son Alexander, who was found unresponsive in her home after paramedics were called.

An autopsy showed no medical reason why the baby had stopped breathing and his cause of death was listed as unknown.









Ashleigh Jennifer Casey, 25, from Farmington, has been charged with second-degree murder for the March 12, 2009, death of her son Alexander, who was found unresponsive in her home after paramedics were called




University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital: Casey allegedly tried to smother her daughter at this hospital

The case was reopened as a homicide after Casey took her eight-month-old daughter to the hospital several times in May.

 


Doctors could find nothing wrong with her but during one of the visits, Casey told a nurse her daughter had stopped breathing.


A RARE FORM OF CHILD ABUSE TO GET THE ATTENTION OF OTHERS


Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS) is a rare form of child abuse that involves the exaggeration or fabrication of illnesses or symptoms by a primary caregiver, who may go so far as to actually cause the symptoms through poisoning or suffocation.

In 85% of cases, the mother is responsible.

They typically do it to get the attention of doctors and other professionals. Some experts believe they also do it for the satisfaction of deceiving people they believe to be more important or powerful than themselves.

Also known as 'medical child abuse', MBPS was named after Baron von Munchausen, an 18th-century German dignitary known for making up stories about his travels and experiences in order to get attention.

The nurse performed CPR and was able to resuscitate the girl who was sitting up and laughing minutes later, Kare11 reports.

Thinking it was suspicious, she called police who then interviewed Casey, when she confessed to smothering both of her children.

In the 2009 death of her son, she admitted holding a blanket over his mouth until he stopped breathing.

She said she did not expect him to die as she had done it before and he started to breathe again.

As for her daughter, she told the investigator she had something like a dream where she put her hand over her mouth, but  said maybe it wasn't a dream.

When a child protection investigator interviewed her, she asked numerous questions about Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome - a mental illness where a caregiver either exaggerates a child's symptoms or causes medical problems for a child in order to gain attention.

Casey is also charged with two counts of assault for trying to smother her daughter.
 She is being held on $50,000 bail.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2366773/Ashleigh-Jennifer-Casey-25-smothered-baby-son-daughter.html#ixzz2ZLlGHN77

How sad that another baby had to almost lose her life before this POS was arrested.

State of Minnesota,
PLAINTIFF,
VS.

NAME: first, middle, last
ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY

DEFENDANT,

C O M P L A I N T
The Complainant, being duly sworn, makes complaint to the above-named Court and states that there is probable cause to believe that the
Defendant committed the following offense(s). The complainant states that the following facts establish PROBABLE CAUSE:
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Complainant, Jonathan Riegert, of the St Louis Park Police Department, has investigated the facts and
circumstances of this offense and believes the following establishes probable cause:

On March 12, 2009, at approximately 9:20 p.m., police, paramedics and fire personnel responded to a report of an
infant who was not breathing at 3119 Alabama Avenue in St. Louis Park, Hennepin County, Minnesota. Officers
arrived first and located three month old, A.C., on the floor in the basement wearing only a diaper. A.C. was
positioned on his back and his entire body appeared pale. Officers observed that A.C. was not breathing and they
were unable to locate a pulse. Officers immediately began CPR and continued until they were relieved by
paramedics. A.C. was pronounced dead at the scene after all efforts to revive him were exhausted.

Officers spoke to A.C.’s mother, ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY, Defendant herein, at the scene while
paramedics were attempting to revive A.C. During this interview, officers noted that the Defendant had a flat affect
throughout the interview and that she was continually checking her phone and text messages.

According to the Defendant’s statements to police in 2009, A.C. had undergone surgery to correct a malrotation of
his bowel on March 7, 2009 and was released from the hospital on March 9, 2009. The Defendant reported that
earlier on March 12, 2009, she had taken A.C. to the hospital because he had been crying and fussing all day. A.C.
was examined by doctors in the emergency room and no medical problems were identified. The Defendant told
officers that she returned home with A.C. between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. and went to her room where she laid A.C.
down on the bed next to her. During this initial statement the Defendant told officers that when the show she was
watching ended at 9:00 p.m., she noticed that A.C. was no longer breathing. The Defendant said that she attempted Page 2



ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY CCN: 09001543

CPR herself for about 5 minutes and then ran with A.C. down to the basement to get help from her family. It
should be noted that according to the Defendant’s cousin, he called 911 as soon as she ran into the basement with
A.C. This call came in at 9:20 p.m. according to emergency communications records.

The Defendant also told officers that A.C. had stopped breathing a couple of weeks prior to this and was
resuscitated by her mother. Officers also spoke to the Defendant’s grandmother who is a registered nurse.
According to her, on March 3, 2009, the Defendant had come running down the stairs at home and told her that
A.C. was not breathing. The Defendant’s grandmother was able to resuscitate A.C. and the police and medical
personnel were called.

According to A.C.’s medical records, doctors found nothing medically wrong with him that would have caused him
to quit breathing.

read more:
http://www.hennepinattorney.org/Portals/0/complaints/2013/Casey,%20Ashleigh%20Jennifercplt.pdf

snipped....

COUNT 1: MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE (FELONY)
MINN. STAT. § 609.19, SUBD. 2(1)
PENALTY: A YEAR AND A DAY-40 YEARS

That on or about March 12, 2009, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY, did without
intent to effect the death of any person, cause the death of A.C, a human being, while committing or attempting to
commit the felony offense of domestic assault by strangulation.

COUNT 2: ASSAULT IN THE FIRST DEGREE (FELONY)
MINN. STAT. § 609.221, SUBD. 1; § 609.101, SUBD. 2
PENALTY: A YEAR AND A DAY-20 YEARS AND/OR $30,000

That on or about May 17, 2013, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY, assaulted
K.J. and inflicted great bodily harm.

COUNT 3: DOMESTIC ASSAULT BY STRANGULATION (FELONY)
MINN. STAT. § 609.2247, SUBD. 2
PENALTY: 0-3 YEARS AND/OR $5,000

On or about May 17, 2013 in Hennepin County, Minnesota, ASHLEIGH JENNIFER CASEY assaulted K.J., a
family or household member, by strangulation.