A father from Vero Beach, Florida has been arrested following a two-year investigation by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Jason Napier allegedly obstructed his two-month-old daughter’s airway by placing a baby wipe down her throat in May 2021.
The incident came to light when the county’s Public Safety Dispatch received a 911 call about the unresponsive state of the infant. Dispatchers advised Napier to perform CPR while police and fire rescue personnel were called to the scene.
On their arrival, officials found the baby unresponsive and exhibiting a bluish tint. A deputy took over the CPR efforts, and the child was transported to a nearby hospital, but she did not survive.
Initially, Napier indicated that he had briefly left his infant with his 18-month-old daughter.
He said he returned to find her choking and noticed a small white obstruction at the back of her mouth. He also mentioned a delay of about five minutes before calling for emergency help.
It was later discovered during the autopsy that a baby wipe lodged deep in the infant’s throat was the cause of death. Investigations also revealed discrepancies in Napier’s account, as he had been on his phone for about 30 minutes. He blamed the 18-month-old, which was later proved improbable. Officials say the baby had colic and wouldn’t stop crying and Napier couldn’t handle it. The baby’s maternal grandfather, Joe Miller, saw Napier screaming at the top of his lungs for the baby to shut up, right before the grandfather left the house that evening.
Authorities, after collecting evidence and consulting medical experts, determined that Napier was the only person who could have caused such an obstruction. This week, he was arrested and charged with manslaughter and is now held on a $750,000 bond at the Indian River County Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office said the arrest aims to provide some closure to the affected friends and family.