Parents Charged In Death Of 2-Month-Old Baby, PA Officials Say

MONROE COUNTY, PA — The parents of a 2-month-old Pennsylvania baby who died in March have been charged in her death, after her father allegedly slammed the infant's head against a table, causing a fatal skull fracture.

The District Attorney's office in Monroe County said the child's father, 31-year-old Lamont Bacchus, is now charged with criminal homicide after authorities said he admitted assaulting the child because she was crying.

Amanda Green, 29, the child’s mother, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child and delivery of drugs. Tony Kristiansen, 29, an acquaintance of the couple, is now facing felony endangering charges, as well as drug delivery charges.

Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac said an autopsy determined the child suffered from a gaping skull fracture on the left side of the head and numerous scalp and brain hemorrhages. A forensic pathologist later determined that the child died due to traumatic brain injury as a result of homicide.

Bacchus changed his story several times throughout the investigation, prosecutors said. Initially, he claimed that he had left the apartment to buy heroin several hours before the child was discovered dead and that she was fine when he left the apartment.

Bacchus later acknowledged the baby's injuries, saying that he had tripped while carrying her and accidentally dropped her. Eventually, Bacchus admitted to investigators that he had struck the baby’s head against the table out of frustration from her crying, the District Attorney's office said.

He also told authorities that he knew the child was dead immediately after he struck her head on the table. After the assault, Bacchus placed the baby back onto the couch and went back to sleep, prosecutors said.

All three were using drugs at the time, prosecutors said. Kristiansen, who found the child deceased, and Green also delayed calling 911 in order to remove drugs from the apartment before the police arrived, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Green is charged with involuntary manslaughter because she injected Bacchus with drugs and then left the baby in his care.

In addition to the charges of criminal homicide, Bacchus is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, assault and drug charges.