A tragic incident has led to serious legal repercussions for a mother in Muncie, Indiana, as she faces charges following the death of her newborn child while co-sleeping.
Aaliyah Lykins finds herself charged with reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent, marking the second time one of her children has died under similar circumstances in just three years.
According to court records reviewed by PEOPLE, the most recent heartbreaking event unfolded on October 9, 2023, when Lykins was breastfeeding her two-week-old daughter in bed and reportedly fell asleep.
Upon awakening, she discovered her infant in cardiac arrest.
First responders arrived at the scene to find the baby unresponsive, and despite efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead shortly after at a local hospital, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox59 and The Star Press.
Lykins's remorse was evident at the scene, with reports indicating she uttered, "Oh no, I did it again," to EMS personnel, per court docs.
Police expressed grave concern in the affidavit, noting that Lykins was fully aware of the risks of co-sleeping with her infant, particularly given a prior tragic incident. " Lykins was fully aware of the danger of co-sleeping with her infant … as she had a prior born child die while co-sleeping," authorities wrote.
This devastating loss follows a similar tragedy from three years prior, when Lykins' two-month-old son also died during co-sleeping, according to court records accessed by McClatchy News.
In October 2020, police and fire personnel were sent to Lykins' home along South Franklin Street, after dispatchers received a report of a child not breathing. First responders found Lykins' infant son, Aiden, unresponsive and he was later pronounced dead at the Muncie hospital.
The affidavit indicated that Lykins told Muncie police officers at the time "that she should not have placed Aiden in bed with her and that she knew it was wrong."
While charges were not filed against Lykins in the previous incident, her acknowledgment of wrongdoing raises questions about accountability and the need for greater awareness of safe sleep practices for infants.
For more information on safe sleeping for infants, you can visit the NHS website here.