Beatrice, March 9: In a shocking incident, a woman allowed her boyfriend to suffocate and kill her 4-month-old baby by placing him face-down on a mattress at their home in Beatrice, Nebraska, leading to his tragic death. The accused, 28-year-old Ashlen Zitel, was aware of the dangerous act but did not intervene, as revealed in text messages reviewed by investigators. The incident occurred on August 15, 2024, while Zitel was at work, and the baby was later pronounced dead at Beatrice Community Hospital. Following an investigation, she pleaded guilty in December 2024, and a court sentenced her to six years of probation.

According to The Mirror report, Ashlen Zitel allowed her boyfriend, Austin Meyn, to swaddle the baby in blankets and place him face-down on a mattress. Meyn, reportedly frustrated by the baby’s crying, intentionally restricted his breathing, hoping it would make him stop. Zitel’s text messages revealed that she was aware of the method and did not raise any objections, even when informed that the baby’s oxygen levels were deliberately being reduced. US Shocker: Coyote Abused by 4 Teenagers After Being Shot With Bow and Stomped to Death in Chicago's Mount Greenwood, Probe Launched.

The child, identified as 4-month-old, was left in a critical condition when Meyn called Zitel to inform her that the baby had become unresponsive. Zitel returned home to find the infant unresponsive and immediately attempted CPR before calling emergency services. Paramedics rushed the baby to Beatrice Community Hospital, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. US Shocker: Columbia Transgender Migrant Allegedly Stalks, Rapes Teenager Boy in New York City Bathroom; Arrested.

Following the tragic incident, a police investigation revealed that the baby had suffered several injuries, including bruising, hemorrhaging on the head, and broken ribs, consistent with shaken baby syndrome, as stated in the autopsy report. Zitel pleaded guilty in December 2024 to charges of child abuse and sexual assault from a separate case involving a 15-year-old victim. As part of her sentence, she was handed a six-year probation period, along with a 120-day jail term.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2025 03:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).