South Jersey woman gets 4 years for accidentally suffocating infant son while drunk

A South Jersey pistillate has been sentenced to 4 years successful situation for accidentally suffocating her 6-month-old lad to decease portion drunk, authorities announced Wednesday.

Michelle Stanton, 29, pleaded blameworthy to second-degree manslaughter successful September. She was sentenced Tuesday successful Cape May County.

Stanton was sitting connected a furniture astatine her Lower Township location connected June 25, 2023, erstwhile she passed retired with her babe son, Christian, successful her arms, investigators said.

Christian’s gramps arrived astatine the location and recovered the babe unresponsive and wedged betwixt the mattress and the wall, cops said. The lad was rushed to a section infirmary but pronounced dead.

An autopsy determined Christian died from asphyxia arsenic his torso was trapped betwixt the mattress and wall, according to authorities.

Before falling asleep, Stanton allegedly consumed betwixt 12 and 14 miniature “airplane” bottles of vodka. Five hours aft Christian’s death, her blood-alcohol level was inactive 0.148, oregon astir doubly the ineligible limit, investigators said. Officers aboriginal searched Stanton’s location and recovered 99 much “airplane” bottles of vodka.

Stanton was indicted successful August connected manslaughter and kid endangerment charges and pleaded blameworthy to second-degree manslaughter successful September, though her statement recommended a condemnation successful enactment with third-degree manslaughter.

She indispensable service astatine slightest 3 years and 4 months of her condemnation under New Jersey law.