Connecticut mother allegedly suffocates her 6-week-old infant to death

GRISWOLD, Conn. (TCD) -- A 35-year-old mother was arrested and charged for allegedly suffocating her 6-week-old infant to death last week.

According to WTIC-TV, Connecticut State Police responded to a call on Nov. 17 regarding an unresponsive child. At the scene, emergency responders reportedly found Crystal Czyzewski’s infant and transported him to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for treatment, where he remained for several days.

According to WFSB-TV, Czyzewski initially told dispatchers that her baby was having issues breathing and claiming "stuff was coming from his nose." She reportedly later told police that her two children were crying, and "it was too much."

WFSB reports that Czyzewski eventually, "admitted to placing a blanket over the victim’s face while he was sitting in a swing in the house. She admitted she placed her hand over the blanket and the victim’s face for '20 minutes' until he was dead."

Czyzewski allegedly kept the infant on the swing for the remainder of the day before calling 911 around 9 p.m.

Czyzewski and her mother, Linda Kennison, reportedly came up with a plan to place food on the baby’s face "make it look like the baby was still alive." Czyzewski told police that her mother told her to lie to authorities, WFSB reports, though Linda reportedly told police that the child was alive all day but had trouble breathing after being fed.

The infant later passed away in the hospital on Sunday, Nov. 21, WTIC reports. Czyzewski reportedly never visited her baby in the hospital.

Czyzewski was arrested and charged on Monday with first-degree manslaughter, according to jail records. She remains in custody on a $500,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

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