A 31-year-old Texas woman, Brittney Bailey, is facing potential capital punishment after being accused of fatally assaulting her 3-month-old daughter. Bailey is also alleged to have conducted an internet search about shaken baby syndrome and blamed her infant’s fatal injuries on her 17-month-old toddler.
On Monday, Bailey was charged by Travis County authorities with one count of capital murder of a person under six years old, in connection with her infant’s death. The investigation was initiated by the Austin, Texas Police Department after they responded to an emergency call at 11:14 p.m. on March 10, from The Revl Apartments on North Lamar Boulevard. The call was regarding a 3-month-old child who was not breathing. The county’s fire department and emergency medical services were also dispatched to the scene.
Upon their arrival, first responders found the infant and immediately began life-saving procedures. The baby was then transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Despite these efforts, the infant succumbed to her injuries on March 15.
While the authorities did not disclose the cause of death, they did note that the victim’s twin sister appeared to have been physically abused. The initial investigation revealed evidence of non-accidental injuries on the twin sister. As a result, Bailey was arrested and charged with Injury to a Child, a first-degree felony, for the injuries inflicted on the twin sister.
Bailey initially claimed that the victim fell off the changing table and hit her head while she was washing her hands after changing the baby’s diaper. She later shifted the blame to her 17-month-old child. However, during a police interview on March 21, when detectives presented evidence that such a scenario was implausible, Bailey reportedly agreed, asked to use the restroom, and then abruptly left the station.
Bailey was arrested on the charge of injury to a child for the alleged abuse of her surviving infant. She was released after posting a bond of $250. On October 4, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined that the victim’s death was a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to the head. The report also suggested that the victim had likely suffered previous head trauma. Court documents also revealed that Bailey had searched online for “how do I know if my baby has been hurt or shaken” days before her child’s death.
Currently, Bailey is being held in the Travis County Jail with a bond set at $600,000. She is scheduled to appear in court on November 14.