Delaware woman charged with murder of 4-month-old infant

Delaware State Police have charged 19-year-old, Dejoynay M. Ferguson of New Castle, with 1st Degree Murder, in connection with the death of a 4-month-old infant who was under her care at a Bear-area daycare facility.

According to Delaware State Police, around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, troopers along with Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to Little People Child Development Center on Wrangle Hill Road for reports of an unresponsive 4-month-old.

The female infant was subsequently transported to the Christiana Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The investigation, underway by the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit, has determined that Ferguson, who was the assigned caregiver for the female victim in the Infant Room at the facility, placed her hands over the victim’s mouth and nose and intentionally restricted her breathing until she became unresponsive.

Once unresponsive the victim was placed back into a crib by Ferguson, police said.

After approximately 20 minutes Ferguson advised the owner of the facility that the victim was unresponsive at which time a call was made to 911.

Ferguson was charged with one count of 1st Degree Murder and arraigned before being committed to the Dolores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution on $1,000,000 cash bail.

As a result of the incident and ongoing investigation the Office of Childcare Licensing has suspended the license of the facility indefinitely.