Hazle Twp. woman didn't call 911 for infant with breathing trouble, police say
Apr. 20—A Hazle Twp. woman faces child endangerment charges after police say she refused to call 911 when her baby experienced breathing trouble Jan. 20.
Kaitlin R. Helmer, 26, faces two felony counts of the charges filed against her by state police at Hazleton, one of which was for leaving drugs within reach of the child, according to troopers. She was denied bail by Magisterial District Judge James Dixon, Hazle Twp., on April 8, who cited she's a flight risk.
Troopers made a second arrest, too. Michael Schumacher, 26, Hazleton, was charged with two felony counts of hindering apprehension after he told police Helmer wasn't home April 8 when they came to arrest her, troopers said.
She was apprehended that day after troopers found her hiding in a crawlspace he allegedly helped her get inside, according to court papers. Schumacher's bail was set at $30,000 April 14 by Dixon.
The baby survived and was placed in the custody of Luzerne County Children and Youth Services, troopers said.
According to arrest papers:
Helmer texted a woman, stating the 11-month-old choked on something, was unresponsive and blue the night of Jan. 20. The woman told Helmer to call 911 but Helmer told her she couldn't because she was wanted.
So, the woman and a man rushed to Helmer's home, 1080 N. Vine St., finding Helmer holding the limp child, and began driving him to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton, about 2 1/2 miles away. En route, the pair found Hazleton police on a traffic stop and pleaded for help with the child, who had stopped breathing. Police and the woman checked the child for an obstructed airway but found nothing. Officers took the infant to the hospital while performing CPR on him.
The baby was still unresponsive and blue, due to a lack of oxygen in his blood, when he arrived at the emergency room.
Hospital staff began lifesaving measures and found no airway obstruction, but after the woman who brought the baby in for care told them she believed both parents used drugs, staff gave the baby Narcan. The medication, which is used for opioid overdose, allowed the baby to become responsive but he didn't fully recover, so they gave him a second dose.
The baby was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. A toxicology test showed the child had fentanyl in his blood. He was diagnosed with fentanyl ingestion and respiratory arrest that was near fatal.
Troopers went to Helmer's home Jan. 21 and as they secured the house, Schumacher showed up alone, telling police he arrived at the house around 11 p.m. Jan. 20 and said the baby's breathing reminded him of how someone overdosing would sound. Helmer was freaking out and he said he screamed at her to call 911.
Police executed a search warrant at the home Jan. 21, finding controlled substances and paraphernalia throughout the house.
Schumacher said Helmer relapsed two weeks prior and he found heroin packets and needle caps on the kitchen and bathroom floors. He also told police when he tried to take her to the hospital to see the baby, Helmer jumped from his Jeep and ran away.
Troopers obtained an arrest warrant for Helmer on March 26 and, after taking her into custody April 8, she said she didn't jump from the Jeep but was taken to another home where she stayed for a night before Schumacher took her back to North Vine Street, where she stayed ever since.
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