Sara Lashae Harris, a 24-year-old woman, was taken into custody in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 5, 2024. She faces charges of second-degree murder and felony child abuse.
Her arrest occurred following the death of her newborn daughter, who was found unresponsive in Harris’ residence last summer.
On July 30, 2023, around 9:40 in the morning, emergency services, along with the Phoenix Police Department, were alerted to an incident at an apartment complex located near 19th Avenue and Mountain View Road in Phoenix.
Upon their arrival, they discovered a six-week-old infant motionless on a mattress in the living room, demonstrating no signs of life.
Despite immediate attempts at resuscitation, the newborn was declared deceased shortly thereafter. A 17-month-old toddler was found safe in the home.
The subsequent investigation revealed disturbing facts. Court documents indicated that Harris had left the newborn and toddler alone in the apartment for approximately 37 hours, during which she reportedly attended a nightclub in Tempe and used drugs.
Harris informed authorities that she had administered ibuprofen to the infant the night before, as the baby was irritable. She stated that upon her return from a local market, she found the baby motionless with a blanket covering her face.
She further stated that she found the child not breathing upon reentering the apartment and subsequently contacted her parents. Harris’s mother arrived at the scene and called emergency services.
However, surveillance footage and further investigation contradicted Harris’s claims, revealing that she had been absent from her apartment throughout the entire weekend.
During the apartment search, a bottle of children’s NyQuil and a syringe containing traces of a red liquid, which matched the NyQuil, were discovered.
A baby bottle containing milk with a pinkish hue and red residue on the nipple was also found, indicating the presence of the medication.
The medical examiner determined the cause of death as tracheal mucus plugging, with contributing factors being chlorpheniramine intoxication (a common ingredient in some NyQuil formulations) and an unsafe sleeping environment.
During a post-Miranda interview, Harris admitted to giving her infant melatonin and NyQuil before leaving the apartment. She also confessed to consuming illegal drugs and alcohol while away. Toxicology tests later confirmed the presence of NyQuil in the newborn’s system.
Harris was arrested on January 5, 2024, and is currently detained in Maricopa County Jail with bail set at $100,000. Her court hearing was scheduled for January 11.
