The 3‑month-old girl who died at a Jewett Street apartment in September was sharing a bed with an adult – a factor that may have contributed to the baby’s death, according to a revised death certificate filed this month.
The death certificate lists the cause of death for Alayziah Brown as “sudden unexplained infant death,” and said the manner of death was “undetermined.”
Meanwhile, Ansonia police continue to wait for separate toxicology results that could give more information than the autopsy about how she died.
Police responded to the an apartment at 104 Jewett St. at 9:50 p.m. Sept 10 after receiving a 911 call reporting a medical emergency involving the 3‑month-old. The baby was pronounced dead at Griffin Hospital at 10:55 p.m.
The baby’s father, Rodney Lee Brown, was charged with risk of injury to a minor in connection to the death, but police have not said what role, if any, he played in the death.
Brown remains in jail held on a $75,000 bond.
His attorney, public defender Paul Eschuk, said he has not seen the updated death certificate and would have to get a copy before determining how it would affect the case.
“It’s fair to say sudden infant death syndrome is something that tragically afflicts many people,” Eschuk said. “From a legal point of view, it tends to suggest Mr. Brown did nothing to cause the death, which he has maintained from the beginning.”
Two months after her death, the bed-sharing detail is the only new bit of information to be released about the incident.
Ansonia Police spokesman Lt. Andrew Cota said police have been investigating whether Brown rolled over onto his daughter the night she died.
But pending extra toxicology results on the baby, Cota said police have not been able to determine the exact cause of death.
“We’re in a holding pattern, waiting for state results,” Cota said, adding the results could determine how police proceed. “Additional charges may be forthcoming.”
The department also ordered toxicology reports for Brown to determine if he had alcohol or drugs in his system that night.
The death certificate mentions that an adult was sharing a bed with the baby. It is listed as a contributing factor in the death — but has not been determined to be the cause of the death.
The section on the death certificate reads: “Enter other significant conditions contributing to death, but not resulting in the underlying cause.”
The first death certificate was filed in September, and said the cause of death was “pending further study.”
The revised death certificate was filed by the Chief Medical Examiner Nov. 6.
Calls for comment were left with the prosecutor’s office at Superior Court in Derby.
Brown is due back in court Dec. 3.
Eschuk said he would look into filing paperwork to request another reduction in Brown’s bond. At his last court date, the bond was lowered from $150,000 to $75,000.
“I argued to the court in the bond hearing that he did nothing to cause the child’s death,” Eschuk said. “In fact, he’s heartbroken about it.”
