William Herring, 42, and Brianna Brochhausen, 22, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of their 4-month-old son, according to a news release from Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.
According to the release, the couple had initially been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Those charges were upgraded on Tuesday.
According to the release, the family was staying at the Hilltop Motel in Springfield, NJ. on February 14. Investigators allege the couple became frustrated when their son, Hunter, would not stop crying. They allegedly put him on his stomach on the bed, and pulled the comforter over his entire body.
The couple left the room and smoked cigarettes on the balcony, investigators allege. When they allegedly returned to the room about 10 minutes later, Hunter was not breathing. They called for help.
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Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office
He was placed on a respirator to breathe, and had minimal brain activity. On March 3, he died shortly after he was taken off life support.
After an autopsy, the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was suffocation. The case was classified as a homicide, the release states.
They have not yet entered a plea, and records do not name a defense attorney authorized to speak on behalf of either of them.
In the press release, District Attorney Coffina emphasized that New Jersey has a 24-hour “stressline” to help parents cope with issues with their children.
“The responsibilities of becoming a new parent can sometimes be overwhelming,” Coffina said in a statement. “Those who find themselves at a point of crisis when caring for a newborn child should know that help is available, and they must seek that help rather than taking actions that might harm their child.”
source: people.com
