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Ashland mom faces indictment after baby boy dies from co-sleeping, police say

20-year-old Addeline J. Brindle had cocaine in her system when her son died of asphyxia on March 29 due to co-sleeping
Addeline Brindle (Photo: Richland County Jail)

MANSFIELD — A 20-year-old Ashland woman remains in the Richland County Jail on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, accused by authorities of causing the death of her 3-month-old son, with whom she was co-sleeping on a mattress.

Mansfield police Detective Sgt. Matt Loughman said Thursday the child's mother, Addeline J. Brindle, had cocaine in her system.

The infant, Trevelle K. Bluester, died of asphyxia due to co-sleeping at an apartment on West Second Street on March 29, according to Montgomery County Coroner's Office forensic pathologist Lee D. Lehman in the autopsy report.

Brindle was indicted in May on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, endangering children and possession of cocaine, according to the indictment obtained from the Richland County Clerk of Courts.

Brindle was arraigned Tuesday in Richland County Common Pleas Court. She was ordered a $200,000 cash and personal recognizance bond.

After co-sleeping with the child, Brindle awoke to find the infant unresponsive, according to autopsy reports obtained through the Richland County Coroner's Office.

"The mother said she lay down with the decedent at the friend's apartment around 4:30 a.m. March 29. At 4 p.m., 911 was called and squad rushed the decedent to the emergency room," according to documents.

The autopsy revealed the child died of asphyxia due to co-sleeping. The death was ruled accidental, according to information in the autopsy report.

"Mother had been up around 48 hours reportedly using cocaine," Tom Stortz, coroner's investigator for the Richland County Coroner's Office, wrote in a report. "No injuries were seen on the body... It appears the decedent had vomited on himself in bed."

Richland County Coroner Dan Burwell was at the scene and ordered the autopsy.

Mansfield police were dispatched at 4:09 p.m. March 29 to 134 W. Second St. in reference to a possible deceased person, according to the police report.

The Mansfield Fire Department took Bluester to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, where he was eventually pronounced dead, according to the police report.

The Mansfield Police Detective Bureau and Stortz responded to the scene.

Stortz was contacted at 4:44 p.m. March 29 by a physician at OhioHealth's emergency department, who reported Bluester's death.

The child's home address was in the 200 block of West 11th Street in Ashland, according to the report.

A friend of the mother's also at the apartment called 911 on March 29 to say a baby was found not breathing after everyone woke up from a nap, according to a Mansfield city communications 911 tape.

"I need an ambulance right away, right now," the caller said. "My friend's baby is not breathing... Is there anything we should be doing?"

The dispatcher asked if the baby was breathing and if anyone was CPR-certified.

The friend said the child was not breathing and told her sister, who is CPR-certified, attempted to perform CPR after talking to the dispatcher.

"Do you think the baby is deceased?" the dispatcher asked.

The caller said, "Yes, he is cold."

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