On January 20, 2022, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police responded to a report of an unresponsive 2-month-old infant at an apartment in the 600 block of Magdalene Lane on the city's west side shortly after 2 p.m. The baby, Kamoura K. Sutton (born November 5, 2021), was transported to Riley Hospital for Children but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. IMPD Child Abuse detectives investigated and determined her injuries were consistent with non-accidental trauma. An autopsy by the Marion County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was blunt force traumatic injuries of the head and shoulder, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. As of the time of the news reporting (January 24, 2022), no arrests had been announced in the case, though detectives had questioned people who were with the child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources confirm the child died from inflicted injuries. The vital record (INME_22_Sutton.pdf) lists the cause of death as "BLUNT FORCE INJURIES OF THE HEAD AND SHOULDER" with a manner of death of "Homicide." The IndyStar article states that "detectives say the baby had injuries that they don't believe were accidental" and that her "cause of death was blunt force traumatic injuries." The WISH-TV article reports "injuries consistent with non-accidental trauma." The WTHR article similarly states IMPD "determined Kamoura's injuries were consistent with non-accidental trauma." These collectively confirm inflicted blunt force injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
The vital record (INME_22_Sutton.pdf) lists the cause of death as "BLUNT FORCE INJURIES OF THE HEAD AND SHOULDER" with ICD code S099 (unspecified injury of head) in a 2-month-old ruled a homicide. The news articles confirm the child suffered "injuries consistent with non-accidental trauma." While the specific clinical terms "shaken baby syndrome" or "abusive head trauma" are not used, the documented non-accidental blunt force head injuries in a 2-month-old infant constitute abusive head trauma by definition.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.