Published: March 12, 2009 12:04 pm      

Little known on baby’s death

Authorities are still not releasing any specific information about the death of a Paoli infant Monday which they have described as suspicious.

An official in the Garvin County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday an investigation is quickly moving forward as they work to find out more about the death of a 2-month-old baby boy.

The lead investigator in the case, Lt. Travis Crawford, said a number of agencies are coordinating efforts in the process to learn more specifics about the infant’s death and what will happen next.

Crawford stressed that process is taking some time, which is why little information is ready to be released to the public.

“We’re not prepared to release any information on the investigation we’re currently conducting in the unexplained death of the infant,” Crawford said.

“We’re currently preparing reports concurrent with the medical examiner’s office and the district attorney to determine whether or not charges should be pursued,” he said.

It was Monday morning when sheriff’s officials received an emergency phone call from residents at a Paoli house panicked because the infant was “non-responsive,” Undersheriff Steve Brooks said Tuesday.

The site of that house also hasn’t been released as first aid responders performed first aid before taking the baby by ambulance to the emergency room of the Pauls Valley General Hospital.

A bad situation turned tragic when the young boy was pronounced dead at 11:52 a.m. Monday.

Both Brooks and Crawford said the next day the cause of the baby’s death was still undetermined.

They also said more details were needed before a decision could be made on formal criminal charges being filed related to the death.

An important part of that process are preliminary findings from an autopsy being performed on the baby by officials in the state medical examiner’s office in Oklahoma City.

No information related to those findings were available Wednesday.

The deputies also said a search was conducted Monday at the residence where the infant lived as officials reported finding undisclosed amounts of marijuana and evidence showing the drug was possibly being distributed from that location.