MANKATO MINNESOTA, A father has been charged in connection with the suffocation death of his 10-month-old baby after the child was left under a weighted blanket for several hours during sleep.
Omni Maxx Morningstar, 26, from Mankato, Minnesota, is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge following the death of his son, Remington Tristan Morningstar, according to the Mankato Police Department.
Court documents filed by Blue Earth County prosecutors state that Morningstar called 911 on the afternoon of October 1, reporting what he described as a “practically dead baby.” When emergency responders arrived, the infant showed no signs of life and was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Investigators reported that Morningstar told officers he placed his son face down on a bed for a nap around 11 a.m. and covered him with a 20-pound weighted blanket.
During questioning, Morningstar also informed officers that he is autistic, raising questions about whether he fully understood the consequences of his actions.
He told authorities that when he checked on the child just before 4 p.m., the baby was unresponsive and had a temperature of 104.7 degrees.
Morningstar stated that he did not understand how his son’s temperature had risen, explaining that the child had appeared healthy earlier in the day after waking around 9 a.m. and being fed.
Authorities noted that after putting the child down for a nap, Morningstar did not check on him again for approximately five hours.
He told investigators that during that time he was using Discord and talking with friends while wearing headphones, although he claimed he could still hear what was happening around him.
Morningstar also said the baby had previously experienced fevers and was colicky, making it difficult to manage his temperature. He admitted to using a weighted blanket for several months to limit the child’s movement and said the baby had overheated on two prior occasions.
According to the complaint, Morningstar later acknowledged the delay, stating he wished he had checked on the child sooner.
Police reported finding multiple blankets on the bed, including weighted blankets weighing nearly 20 pounds, along with large comforters.
Investigators also noted previous incidents and warnings. In one case, the baby had been taken to the hospital, where Morningstar was advised against using a weighted blanket. He also admitted that at times he covered the baby’s head to reduce crying.
In another incident about a month before the child’s death, the baby’s mother, Isabella Morningstar, reported finding the child fully covered in a large blanket with a high fever. She stated that Morningstar told her he had forgotten about the child while playing video games.
The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be probable asphyxia due to compression from a weighted blanket.
If convicted, Morningstar could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $20,000, or both.
