April 25—NANTICOKE — The 2022 death of a 1-month-old girl is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police in Wilkes-Barre and the Luzerne County Prosecutor’s Office as criminal homicide.
Avaya Jade Rasmus-Alberto was found deceased in a crib at 167 W. Green St., Nanticoke, on Oct. 24, 2022, state police reported.
An autopsy performed by medical examiner Dr. Gary Ross revealed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to mechanical compression and that the death was accidental.
However, investigators discovered suspicious online searches on the 17-year-old mother’s phone.
According to search warrant affidavits unsealed Thursday, a review of the mother’s phone revealed online searches for sudden infant death syndrome, is it safe to give melatonin drops to a newborn, photos of shaken baby syndrome, why a newborn baby won’t stop crying and can a baby sleep on his stomach.
Two search warrants were served on February 22 to obtain the infant’s medical and birth records. The search warrants were opened at the end of the 60-day deadline set by Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough.
After the autopsy, according to search warrants, Ross gave medical advice that the infant did not have the strength to put himself in a position that could cause death.
Nanticoke police and emergency medical technicians who responded to the West Green Street residence on October 24, 2022 found a U-shaped nursing pillow in the baby’s crib, which had blood under its nostrils and on the side of the nose, according to search warrants.
The search warrants list criminal homicide as an offense.
No charges have been filed.
