UPDATE: Mother charged with murder was ‘acting erratically’ when officers arrived on the scene

UPDATE (3:30 p.m.) — When police arrived on North Peoria Avenue and saw a dead baby lying on a grassy lawn, they noticed the mother was acting “erratically” and could have been under the influence of “some sort of substance.”

And she tried to drive away with her baby but was blocked by family members just before 7 p.m. Monday. They were able to block her U-Haul pickup and grab Grayson, who was one month old and likely had been dead for a while.

Some of the swabs taken at the scene tested positive for cocaine, a Peoria County prosecutor said in open court.

And almost prophetically, police found a text message from her father to her imploring her to leave the baby with them. The text message said, “You know that baby can overheat and die, please let us help you, from dad to mom.”

Those are just some of the new allegations regarding Andrea Luncsford who appeared in Peoria County Circuit Court charged in connection with her son’s death.

Luncsford appeared by way of video conferencing from the Peoria County Jail. She wore a black T-shirt and orange jumpsuit pants that are normally seen on jail inmates. She stood quietly, with one hand on her face as Peoria County Judge Mark Gilles explained the charges — first-degree murder and endangering the life and health of a child.

She cried loudly and tried to walk away from the camera at the jail but was brought by the judge who urged her to maintain proper decorum.

Neither of the charges are probationable which would mean that she would go to prison if she’s convicted. The murder carries a maximum of 100 years behind bars. The stiff sentence is due to the age of her son. The other count, the endangerment count, would carry a maximum of 10 years behind bars.

The judge found prosecutors had laid out enough evidence for the charges. The judge appointed the public defender after he heard she only had public aid benefits as her income. Luncsford did state that she used to make up to $500 a month from the website Only Fans.

The detention hearing part, as is becoming more common, will be held Thursday afternoon. That’s usually being done to give defense attorneys more time to prepare for the detention portion as a person could be held pending the outcome of a case.

Mother charged with murder and child endangerment for baby’s death.

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A Chicago woman faces up to 100 years in prison after being charged with murder in connection with the death of her 1-month-old baby on Monday.

Andrea Luncsford, 25, is also charged with endangering the life and health of a child.

It’s a special version of that charge due to the baby’s death that carries a possible prison term of up to 10 years. Probation is also an option. She will next appear in court in October for her arraignment. It’s likely a grand jury will hear the case before then.

Peoria County prosecutors also asked a judge to hold her at the Peoria County Jail pending the outcome of her case. That request will be heard at 3 p.m. In their request, they said Luncsford posed a “real and present” threat to the community.

Luncsford has been at the county jail since early Tuesday, less than 12 hours after her son, 1-month-old Grayson, was pronounced dead at a grassy lawn in Peoria’s East Bluff.

Just after 7 p.m., Monday, Peoria police were called the 2400 block of North Peoria Avenue on a report of a dead baby. That’s near the intersection of East Archer Avenue.

A relative pulled the child out of the vehicle but he had already died, said Coroner Jamie Harwood, who estimated the baby had been dead for a few hours.

He said the cause of death was dehydration and hyperthermia.

The murder charge alleges Luncsford failed to provide basic nutrition and care in that she left the baby in the vehicle.

Normally murder carries a 20-to-60-year prison range but the age of the child made it a stiffer sentence.

Deborah Lopez, a spokeswoman with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, said her agency had been talking to Luncsford as early as Sept. 6 due to a pending investigation that involved “substantial risk of physical injury or environment.”

That investigation originated in the Chicago area where she was living. Then, on Monday, the agency opened another investigation, saying they were investigating a death.

“These are active investigations, and we are not able to comment further; we are working with local law enforcement on both investigations,” she said.

This story will be updated.

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