A Lauderhill mother is facing manslaughter and other charges in connection with the 2021 death of her 1-month-old baby daughter, authorities said.
Breonca Mercedes Dean, 27, was arrested Saturday on charges including aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect without bodily harm, Broward County jail records showed.
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WATCH HEREAccording to an arrest affidavit, fire rescue had responded to Dean's apartment on March 27, 2021 for a call about her 1-month-old being unresponsive.
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The baby was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Dean said she fell asleep with the baby lying on top of her and when she woke up and noticed the baby wasn't breathing, she called 911, the affidavit said.
But a doctor at the hospital said the baby appeared to have a skull fracture, and an autopsy found the skull fracture wasn't consistent with a short fall from a couch or with anyone rolling on top of the baby while sleeping, the affidavit said.
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"Based on the nature and severity of these injuries a significant amount of force with blunt impact would be required," the affidavit said.
Dean gave a urine sample, which tested positive for THC and amphetamine, the affidavit said. She admitted she had smoked marijuana at a party a week before but denied using any other drugs, the affidavit said.
Detectives obtained surveillance footage that showed a woman matching Dean's description hanging out in the parking lot of her apartment complex late on March 26, the day before the baby's death, the affidavit said.
The footage showed Dean later entering a car and leaving the complex, the affidavit said.
Dean, who also had a 4-year-old and 8-year-old at the time, allegedly left all three children alone at the apartment for hours, the affidavit said.
"The…evidence clearly establishes that Breonca Dean left her three minor children alone and without adult supervision for approximately over seven hours," the affidavit said.
The affidavit noted Child Protective Services said there was a prior report made on Jan. 27, 2021, involving allegations of substance abuse and inadequate supervision, with Dean alleged to have left her children alone in their apartment while she went out partying.
Dean was booked into jail, where she remained held without bond Monday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
