Patricia Hullenbaugh: Frustrated mom arrested for smothering 9-month-old son over 'non-stop crying'
PENNSYLVANIA: A mother from Indiana County, Pennsylvania is facing homicide charges in connection with the demise of her 9-month-old son.
Patricia Hullenbaugh, 21, is accused by the police for smothering her son and fabricating a scene to cover it up after being arrested while working at the Lowe's in White Township.
Patricia Hullenbaugh claimed to have place son down for nap
According to a criminal complaint, on January 6, officers were called to a residence in Indiana in response to reports of an unresponsive baby.
The child, according to the police, was not breathing and had no pulse; however, at a nearby hospital, the child began to feel again.
After being moved to Pittsburgh's UPMC Children's Hospital, he died five days later, as reported by WJAC.
The boy's mother, Patricia Hullenbaugh, 21, is listed in an affidavit as saying that she had put her son down for a nap, but when she came back an hour later, he was face down on the mattress and "hanging" partially outside the crib.
She said that when she called the boy's father to ask for help, he told her to call 911 while he began CPR.
Police claimed to have "reeanacted" how the baby was found during the course of the investigation, and Hullenbaugh altered her account.
After putting the boy to sleep, she said she checked on him three times because "he was nonstop crying," and she was "frustrated" by the crying.
Charges against Patricial Hullenbaugh
The complaint states that the boy's parents were subjected to numerous interviews and role-playing sessions by the police.
According to police, Hullenbaugh confessed to "smothering" on January 24 that she had "applied pressure with the blanket to [the baby’s] face/head area, and when she took it off, [the baby] was not breathing."
Hullenbaught told the police that she "panicked" and moved the crib's slats to "cover up what she did" after he stopped breathing.
Hullenbaugh reportedly acknowledged to police that he delayed waking up the baby's father and dialing for assistance by 15 minutes.
According to online court records, Hullenbuagh was charged with criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of a child, and strangulation on Wednesday. She was not granted bail, and her next court date is February 8.
Shoppers at the Lowe's where Hullenbaugh was arrested were interviewed by Channel 11.
A man remarked, "It’s traumatic. I mean, everybody is going to be damaged in the wake of this whole situation. I can’t even imagine how wounded that family is going to be for the rest of their lives."
