Second Infant Death In Three Years At One Home Investigated By Tulsa Police

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- For the second time in three years, Tulsa Police are investigating an infant's death, after the mother fell asleep on the couch with the infant.

Tulsa Police say the death on the evening of November 5 has been ruled a homicide by the state Medical Examiner's Office. 

The incident happened in the 2600 block of North Quaker. 

Homicide detective Sgt. Mike Huff says the father, Daniel Benson, found the 7-month-old boy on the sofa between the mother and the back of the sofa.

The mother was asleep.

Benson told officers the child was not breathing, and after being transported to a Tulsa hospital, the child was pronounced dead. 

Sgt. Huff says in 2006, the mother, Shemirah Benson was again asleep on the couch when her 3-month-old was found not breathing between Shemirah and the back of the couch.

That child was also pronounced dead. 

This latest homicide has resulted in a record year for homicides in the city of Tulsa.  The 7-month-old's death brings the number of homicides in 2009 to 70. 

Sgt. Huff says of those 70 cases, only 12 cases remained unsolved.