Woman charged for death of 1-year-old infant

Sunbury, Pa. — A Sunbury woman was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter after a 1-year-old infant in her home died.

Amanda Lynn Walton, 42, called 911 around 6:30 a.m. July 12 after she discovered the infant was not breathing. Officer Trey Kurtz of Sunbury Police Department said EMS were first to arrive at the scene and attempted to perform CPR on the infant, but they were not successful.

The infant, who was lying on a bed in Walton's bedroom, was pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m., according to the affidavit. Walton told police the infant had been lying on the couch with her head under a pillow and her torso visible. Walton said she got up to use the restroom and check on the other children who were sleeping in the home when she found the infant unresponsive.

Walton said she took the infant to the bedroom to perform CPR and called 911. Kurtz noted there were several people in the home when responders arrived, including an older male sitting on the front porch and five children who were sleeping in the living room. As police began photographing the scene, Kurtz noticed a black trash bag at the end of the couch that had a packet of prescription Suboxone at the top. Police also found packets of Suboxone on the dresser and nightstand in the bedroom where the infant was found, according to the affidavit.

Walton was taken to police headquarters where state trooper Raymond Snarski interviewed her. She initially denied cosleeping with the infant, but eventually admitted she was sleeping with the infant on the couch, according to the affidavit. When Walton woke up in the morning to use the restroom, she realized the infant was not breathing and had blue lips. The infant was between Walton's left side of her body and the couch. Walton admitted she didn't know how to do CPR and called 911. Walton disclosed during the interview that she took her prescription Suboxone before bed the prior evening and that it makes her tired, according to the affidavit.

Police applied for a search warrant for Walton's home and seized several packets of Suboxone, including one inside a doorway and one on the nightstand next to a pack of candy. Kurtz noted the Suboxone was within reach of the children in the home.

Walton was arraigned on charges of felony involuntary manslaughter, and one felony and misdemeanor count each of endangering the welfare of children. District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner set bail at $100,000. Walton remains in Northumberland County Prison awaiting her preliminary hearing set for July 23 at Wiest-Benner's office.

Docket Sheet