WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — A Florida mother has been charged in the death of her 8-month-old daughter.
A Polk County Sheriff’s Office news release says 19-year-old Jada LeBoeuf was arrested Thursday and charged with aggravated manslaughter. Her daughter, Journey LeBeouf, died in February after being left unattended for nearly five hours.
An arrest affidavit says Journey lived with her mother, aunt and maternal grandparents in Winter Haven. Family members last saw Journey alive in the evening as they went to bed. Deputies say LeBoeuf would typically sleep on a couch in the living room, and Journey would sleep in a car seat near her mother.
Authorities say LeBoeuf left the home and returned hours later. Officials say she found the baby on the couch, tangled in the blanket and unresponsive.
An autopsy determined the cause of death was suffocation.
