RED BAY | Red Bay Police and the Alabama Department of Human Resources continue to investigate the death Wednesday of an infant who was in the care of Tiny Tigers Pre-K daycare on Hwy. 11 North.
A preliminary autopsy report has been sent to the Franklin County District Attorney’s office and has been seen by the Red Bay Police Department, but information was not available late Friday afternoon on those results. Red Bay Police Chief Janna Jackson told The Red Bay News that her department had made an arrest during the course of the investigation, but it is too early to tell whether criminal or additional charges will be filed as the matter remains under investigation.
Payton Gann, 23, of Vina, an employee of Tiny Tigers, was arrested around 6:23 a.m. Friday by Red Bay Police Department investigator Kyle Gober on a misdemeanor charge of false reporting to law enforcement. Gann was booked into the Red Bay Police Department Friday morning and was expected to be released late Friday afternoon, after this story was first published.
Jackson said the charge does not necessarily mean there was any incriminating evidence discovered, but there were problems with statements Gann gave police and what police found during their investigation.
“During the investigation statements were taken from daycare employees,” Jackson said. “We also do a re-enactment when (a death) involves an infant and due to a later statement (from Gann) it was revealed that false information was given to the investigator by Gann.”
Red Bay Police were called to respond to Red Bay Hospital shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, for a four-month-old child who was non-responsive. The child, whose name has not been publicly released, was at the emergency room under a doctor’s care, but could not be revived. The child was declared deceased by Franklin County Coroner Charles Adcox. The infant was then transported to the Department of Forensic Science in Huntsville for an autopsy.
Jackson said when the child was discovered to be non-responsive at the daycare, the daycare’s owner and an employee rushed the child to the hospital while the employee attempted CPR on the infant.
The matter remains under investigation. Jackson said her department has requested any available surveillance footage from the daycare, but had not yet received any at the time this story was first published Friday afternoon.
“We’re working closely with the district attorney’s office on this,” Jackson said. “We are awaiting the final autopsy report.”
