Mother Accused Of Smothering Baby Between Legs

LAKELAND, FL—A 24-year-old Lakeland woman is in the custody of Lakeland Police today after reportedly smothering her baby between her legs in May.

According to Lakeland Police, Brittany Harris went to a strip club and had been drinking and taking drugs on May 27 while her 2-month-old baby, Xzayla, was left with a babysitter. A friend checked on Harris later that evening when she returned home and found her in bed with the infant. The baby was wrapped in a blanket between her mother’s legs and was not breathing.

The friend called for help and attempted to revive the baby. Police arrived at 8:39 a.m. the next morning and took the baby to Lakeland Regional Health where the child was pronounced dead. An autopsy showed the baby died of suffocation.

A toxicology and alcohol report showed that Harris had alcohol, methamphetamine and cocaine in her system hours after the baby’s death. But before police could issue an arrest warrant, Harris fled to Michigan where she was recently found living in a homeless shelter. Michigan authorities took her into custody and extradited her back to Lakeland where she faces an aggravated manslaughter charge.

Image via Lakeland Police Department