Baby Choked To Death With Rock By Teen Mom: Denver Police

DENVER, CO -- A Denver teen mother who allegedly killed her newborn daughter in September by shoving a rock down her throat will be tried as an adult, the Denver District Atty's office said Friday. Alaya Dotson, 16, told police she didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth Sept. 8 to the infant, named Amekah, in her home near Green Valley Ranch. She admitted she shoved a 1" rock, down the baby's throat after her mother surprised her and she dropped the baby on the family patio, the arrest affidavit says.

Dotson's mother called police and reported the baby was dead. An autopsy showed the infant died of suffocation. Colorado Safe Haven Neighbors say they want mothers in crisis to know the Colorado law that allows them to drop off their child, no questions asked, at a fire station or hospital.

"Our vision is to protect desperate parents, unwanted newborns and the community from the tragedy of an abandoned baby through awareness of the Colorado Safe Haven law," the organization's website says.

Fifty-six children have been dropped off since the law was passed in 2000, according to a report by Denver Fox 31.

John Burke with his wife adopted Halle, in 2003. Now 14, she was one of the state's first safe-haven babies.

Burke said of Dotson's situation:

“It breaks our heart. We can’t get this message out enough that there is an option. You know, it's not a life or death, there’s another option out there that these moms that might be in this situation, they can relinquish a baby at a hospital or fire station and to one of the staff members and no questions will be asked as long as that baby is 72 hours old or less and they are safe."

Denver Police arrest Affidavit