A young mother from Muncie, Indiana, has been charged following the death of her two-week-old daughter, marking the second time in four years that one of her newborns has died while sharing a bed with her. Aaliyah Lykins, 21, reportedly expressed remorse to first responders who arrived at the scene on October 9, 2023, after she fell asleep while breastfeeding her infant.
The baby, named Addilynn Lykins, was found unresponsive by medical personnel. Despite attempts to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. According to court documents, the child was found “limp, with no signs of respiration.”
Lykins reportedly admitted to emergency medical services that she had fallen asleep while breastfeeding. The court affidavit, filed on February 15, stated that Lykins was fully aware of the risks associated with co-sleeping with an infant, as she had previously lost a child in similar circumstances.
Four years prior to Addilynn’s death, Lykins’ seven-week-old son, Aiden, died while sleeping in the same bed with her. Lykins allegedly confessed to police in 2020 that she knew it was wrong to have placed Aiden in bed with her.
While Lykins faced no charges in relation to Aiden’s death, she has been charged with reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent in connection with Addilynn’s death, both of which are felonies.
In addition to these charges, Lykins has a history of legal issues still pending in court, including arrests for battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman, domestic battery with a deadly weapon, and domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises parents to have their newborns sleep in the same room but not in the same bed to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).