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GRISWOLD, Conn. (WTNH) — A woman has been accused of killing her 6-week-old son by suffocating him with a blanket for 20 minutes and waiting hours before calling 911, state police said Tuesday.
State police arrested Crystal Czyzewski, 35, on Nov. 22 and charged her with first-degree manslaughter and risk of injury to a child. She was detained on $550,000 bail after a court arraignment Tuesday in Norwich.
According to police, emergency responders were called to a home in Griswold on Nov. 17 for the report of an unresponsive infant. The child was brought to an area hospital and later flown to Connecticut Children’s in Hartford, where he arrived in cardiac arrest, state police said.
Staff appeared to revive the baby, but he could not breathe on his own and was pronounced dead on Sunday, the affidavit said.
According to the arrest warrant application, Czyzewski told police that on Nov. 17, her two children, including the baby, were crying and it was “too much.”
“She 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. When she removed her hand, she said the baby was no longer breathing and his body was lifeless,” the affidavit read.
Czyzewski then told police she left the baby in the swing for the rest of the day. She didn’t call 911 until about 9 p.m. that day, the affidavit stated. On the 911 call, Czyzewski said her son was “barely breathing” and “stuff was coming from his nose,” according to the affidavit.
She told police she initially lied to investigators about what happened because she was concerned she would lose her 5-year-old child.
Sgt. Dawn Pagan with Connecticut State Police told News 8, “We would rather have a safe child, a safe infant rather than a tragedy than what occurred in Griswold.”
She reminds parents that you are not alone and help is available.
“Please, please seek help if you’re overwhelmed and you don’t know how to handle these types of situations,” Sgt. Pagan urged. “There are resources available to you.”
Sgt. Pagan pointed to the Save Havens Act, which allows parents to voluntarily give up an infant aged 30 days or younger to emergency room staff. She also recommended calling 211, a service that can direct you to services immediately in a time of need.
“We urge you to pick up the phone and call someone, take a drive, go to your local hospital, or local police department, or your local state police barracks,” said Sgt. Pagan.
Czyzewski is scheduled to appear in state court in New London on Dec. 13.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.