Mother charged in newborn's death

Date published: 3/1/2008

BY KEITH EPPS

A 31-year-old Stafford County woman has been charged in connection with the death of her newborn daughter last year.

Samantha Deonne Smith of 455 Cambridge St. is charged with second-degree murder and felony child neglect, Stafford sheriff's spokesman Bill Kennedy said.

She is being held without bond in the Rappahannock Regional Jail and has an arraignment scheduled for Monday in Stafford Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Details on the case were scarce yesterday, but Kennedy reported the baby was a day old when she died Sept. 22 at Smith's home.

Another adult came to the home that afternoon and found the infant not breathing.

The unnamed visitor told Smith to call 911, and Detective Shawn Efimenco arrived to begin an investigation.

Efimenco learned that the baby was born at the residence and never received medical assistance.

Kennedy said the girl died as the result of "not getting appropriate medical care for a newborn baby," but didn't know the specific cause of death.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 3/1/2008