Mother set to appear before judge in infant’s death

A Roland woman charged in Sequoyah County District Court with the unpremeditated death of her 2-month-old infant, by allegedly co-sleeping with the infant and exposing it to methamphetamine, has been scheduled to appear before a Special Judge.

Chelsea D. Massey, 30, was formally charged on July 6 with felony murder in the second degree/manslaughter in the second degree of her 2-month-old infant who died in 2022.

She received a $100,000 bond on July 26 and following an appearance for a felony disposition docket on Aug. 23, she is now scheduled to appear before Special Judge Matt Orendorff on Nov. 20.

Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Stone reported on Nov. 28, 2022, he was dispatched to East Dorcus Street in Roland regarding a child not breathing. Upon arrival, he was told emergency personnel had pronounced the child de- ceased.

Stone said on June 15, 2023, he received the medical examiner’s report which showed the infant had died of accidental asphyxiation. Other contributing factors included methamphetamine exposure with methamphetamine present in the infant’s system, Bocavirius infection, and unsafe sleep environment with adult bed, soft bedding and bed sharing.

The probable cause affidavit states Massey was responsible for the infant at the time of its death and was allegedly under the influence while caring for it, failing to care for the infant’s health, safety and welfare.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said Massey could face imprisonment for 10 years to life if found guilty of the murder charge, or in the alternative, manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment for two to four years in the penitentiary or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or a fine of up to $1,000, or both.