Augusta parents charged in infant's 2021 homicide arrested in other baby's Tuesday death
Two Augusta parents already charged in the death of their 1-year-old disabled child last year are now facing more charges in the recent death of their 6-month old child.
Samson Scott, 6 months, was pronounced dead at Augusta University Medical Center Tuesday night. The baby's parents, Tyrone Christopher Scott, 36, of Augusta, and Salena Devine Tyler, 23, of Augusta, are charged with cruelty to children in the second degree.
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Just after 10:30 p.m., the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the hospital in reference to a "suspicious death" of an infant, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
Deputies met Scott and Tyler, who said they left the infant alone in the living room in a reclining couch "kind of on his back" after watching TV for around 40 minutes, according to an incident report.
Scott said when he went to check on the child, he was unresponsive. He said they called 911 and began chest compressions, according to the report.
Tyler told deputies she was "unsure" about the nature of her son's death, according to police.
An autopsy has been scheduled, according to the Richmond County Coroner's Office.
Death of the suspects' other infant one year prior
Both Scott and Tyler are currently out on bond following an arrest in February 2021.
The couple is charged with murder and cruelty to children in the first degree in relation to the death of their 1-year-old son, Travis Scott.
On Feb. 13, 2021, Tyler left the baby at home with his father, who later called her and said the child was unresponsive and not breathing. Tyler returned home, helped with CPR and called 911. The baby was revived at the hospital, but there was no brain activity, according to a previous Augusta Chronicle article.
The Scotts made the decision without medical consent to disconnect life support and the baby was pronounced dead.
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During Tyrone Scott's bond hearing in Richmond County Superior Court, Assistant District Attorney Katherine Tobergte told the judge the couple's baby, who was born three months premature, suffered from a lung disease and required a feeding tube and a breathing tube, which was inserted in his neck.
The Scotts were given orders by multiple nurses and respiratory therapists not to turn off their son's ventilator, according to a previous Augusta Chronicle article. Arrest warrants state they both went against medical orders and turned off the ventilator on several different occasions.
AU Medical Center staff trained the Scotts on the baby's daily care needs, and nursing care was provided 84 hours a week, Tobergte said.
Both parents were granted $60,000 bonds.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta parents charged in two separate deaths of their babies
