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Quinzena Rancefer (Fort Wayne Police Department).
An Indiana woman faces charges in connection with the tragic death of her 2-month-old daughter, allegedly due to suffocation after falling asleep on the couch with the infant in her arms. The baby reportedly became trapped under a cushion, leading to her untimely death.
Quinzena Rancefer, 31, has been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, as court documents obtained by Law&Crime reveal.
Although the charges were brought forward this week, the unfortunate event took place in March 2024.
As detailed in records reviewed by Fort Wayne’s ABC and NBC affiliate WPTA, the incident unfolded on the night spanning March 25 to March 26, 2024. Rancefer reportedly dozed off on the couch with her baby in her arms. She claimed that, despite usually placing the child in a nearby bassinet, she chose to position the baby between herself and the back of the couch that night to prevent any falls, according to authorities.
The situation was discovered when Rancefer’s cousin came to the apartment and found the infant “face down and lying mostly underneath the couch cushion,” as stated in the charging affidavit.
The cousin reportedly said he hit Rancefer several times because it was difficult to wake her up.
The cousin realized the baby wasn’t breathing, and Rancefer, at some point, did wake up, becoming “hysterical” upon learning this fact, the court records state.
Officers with the Fort Wayne Police Department were called to the home due to reports of a young child in critical condition.
The girl was later pronounced dead as a result of asphyxia due to overlay and wedging, WPTA reported.
As the investigation continued and police obtained a warrant to search the apartment, investigators allegedly found a glass pipe with burnt residue inside, a torch lighter, suspected marijuana, and prescription pills.
The day the girl died, Rancefer reportedly submitted to an oral drug screen, where she tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine, according to authorities. An Indiana Department of Child Services case manager is said to have discovered the child had been drug-exposed and had THC in her system.
Due to the defendant allegedly testing positive for drugs and the child’s position when she was found not breathing, law enforcement alleged Rancefer was negligent in her daughter’s death.
She is set to have an initial hearing in her case on Tuesday, court records state.