The first-degree felony carries a possible prison sentence of three to 11 years, or Walden could be sentenced to community control for five years.
INITIAL REPORT
A Hamilton mother charged in the death of her infant daughter last fall is scheduled to be in Butler County Common Pleas Court today for a hearing.
Saralin Walden, 25, of Jeff Scott Lane, is accused of rolling over on her daughter, Rae’Anna, while she was asleep on Oct. 23, 2018, and smothering her. The infant was pronounced dead five days later at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, according to prosecutors.
She is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangering. Walden remains housed in the Butler County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond that was set in March by Judge Charles Pater.
Defense attorney Ramona Daniels filed motions related to Walden’s mental state at the time of the incident. In addition to competency, a “not guilty by reason of insanity” plea was also filed.
After reviewing a forensic psychological evaluation, Pater ruled in June that Walden was competent and the insanity plea would not move forward. The issue can be raised again at trial by the defense.
Prosecutors claim Walden was using “illegal substances either at the time of or within close proximity to the time of her caring for her child, and passed out and/or fell asleep on top of the infant suffocating the infant,” according to court documents.
