Mother set to appear before judge, enter plea 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 cosleeping with the infant and exposing it to methamphetamine, is scheduled to appear before District Judge Jeffrey J. Payton on March 28 and enter a plea.

According to Sequoyah County court records, Chelsea D. Massey, 30, is being represented by Attorney Jeffrey B. Jones of Stilwell.

Massey was formally charged on July 6, 2023, with felony murder in the second degree/manslaughter in the second degree of her 2-month-old infant who died in 2022, and received a $100,000 bond.

Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Stone reported on Nov. 28, 2022, he was dispatched to a Roland residence regarding a child not breathing. Upon arrival, he was told emergency personnel had pronounced the child deceased.

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 meth- amphetamine 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.