Baby likely strangled by car seat straps as mother napped, police say

A 9-month-old baby was likely strangled to death Monday by the straps of his car seat as his mother napped inside their apartment, Fresno police said.

Before falling asleep, the 33-year-old mother told investigators she had placed her son in the car seat in the same room about 12:45 p.m. Monday and pulled the straps over his shoulders, Fresno Police Lt. Joe Gomez said. She left the straps unfastened.

As she slept inside their Fresno apartment, investigators believe the baby was strangled by the straps as he tried to squirm out of his car seat.

It wasn’t until the mother’s boyfriend arrived that the baby was found in his car seat. The mother, police said, was still sleeping.

The baby was blue and unresponsive, Gomez said.

The baby was later pronounced dead at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

The mother and her boyfriend have not been arrested in connection with the baby’s death, but Gomez said police are still investigating the incident.

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