Elmira mother charged with killing infant
A 23-year-old Elmira mother was charged Sunday with killing her baby, the city's second such incident in nine days.
Summer F. Cook was jailed without bail, charged with second-degree murder for allegedly suffocating 7-week-old Kenya Payne. Autopsy results are pending.
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Elmira Lt. Daren Minch said the child was not smothered but would not elaborate further.
Payne was pronounced dead after 5 a.m. Sunday when police responded to 358 Columbia St. for a report of an unresponsive child.
The baby, who was not breathing when officers arrived, was taken by Elmira Ambulance to Arnot Ogden Medical Center and pronounced dead.
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"Due to the nature of the death, a full investigation into the events surrounding (the death) was initiated," Minch said in a written statement.
Cook was arrested after police collected physical evidence and interviewed those who were at the residence when the baby died.
A preliminary hearing in the case is set for 10 a.m. Friday. It is the second case of a mother allegedly killing her baby in the city this month.
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Early Nov. 16, Teressa Penird, 25, allegedly smothered her 2-month-old son with a pillow at a residence on Balsam Street in the city.
Like Cook, Penird was jailed without bail. The case has been turned over to the county, and a grand jury will soon hear evidence in the case and determine if there is enough evidence for Penird to face trial.
Second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison.
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