Pinellas County Sheriff’s detectives have arrested a Holiday woman and charged her with felony child neglect in connection with the death Friday (March 13) of a 4-month-old baby.

DUNEDIN – Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies have charged a Holiday woman who was caring for a baby with child neglect after the child died while in her care.

The caregiver, they say, was a family friend who may have smoked crack while caring for the baby. Arrested and charged with one count of felony child neglect was Vivien Grey, 58, of 2742 Darlington Road, Holiday.

Deputies described the facts this way:

About 4:43 p.m. on Friday (March 13), deputies answered a call about an unresponsive baby at 331 Duncan Loop W, Building 15, Apt. 301, in Dunedin. According to investigators, Klo’e Morad, 4 months, was found by her father, 19- year-old Anthony Morad, unresponsive on a futon in an upstairs room of the apartment. Morad brought the child downstairs where neighbors and other family members helped administer CPR. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:54 p.m. by Dunedin Fire Rescue personnel.

Klo’e had been left in the care of Grey, a family friend, who was the sole caregiver to the baby from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., deputies said. Detectives say Grey said she checked on the infant one time between 9 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.; and once between 12:45 p.m. and 3 p.m. Investigators said that, during that time frame, she only visually checked the infant, and did not move or touch her. Grey told detectives she “should have” changed the infant’s diaper, fed her and moved the child during that time. She also admitted to smoking crack cocaine during the overnight hours and may have smoked while caring for the baby.

Detectives say that Grey checked on Klo’e a third time about 4:15 p.m. The baby felt cold to the touch and limp. Grey went downstairs and left the apartment. Detectives say Grey flagged down a stranger, requested transportation to a nearby gas station where a friend picked her up. When Grey told the friend what had occurred, the friend took her to the nearest Clearwater Police Department substation.

In the meantime, detectives say that about 4:25 p.m., one of Klo’e’s  family members contacted Grey. At this point Grey told them she had left the apartment; and that the baby was dead. She further stated, she did not call law enforcement or 911 because she was “scared.” Deputies say the father and other family members raced home to discover the baby dead on the futon.

Detectives arrested Grey and charged her with one count of felony child neglect. Grey was taken to the Pinellas County Jail. An autopsy was conducted today (March 14) to determine cause and manner of death.  Results of the autopsy are pending. The investigation continues.

For information, see pcsoweb.com.

Pinellas County Sheriff | Pinellas Crime | Dunedin Baby Death

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