Woman Accused Of Letting Her Baby Suffocate In Clothes Pile After Booze Binge
GARDEN GROVE (CBS) — A 27-year-old Garden Grove woman accused of leaving her 2-month-old son to suffocate in a pile of clothes following an hours-long drinking binge was arrested Wednesday for involuntary manslaughter.
Corrina Atuatasi was arrested at her home just after 4 p.m. on a $1 million warrant, police Lt. Jeff Nightengale said.
Atuatasi, who was caring for her son, Aiden Galeai, while her husband and 2-year-old daughter were away visiting family, left the infant alone in her apartment the evening of Oct. 30 to smoke a cigarette in the courtyard, Nightengale said.
Atuatasi met a neighbor who convinced her to join him and two other friends to drink in the neighbor's apartment, Nightengale said.
It is not clear how long Atuatasi was drinking with the neighbors as "her memory's cloudy" about the events of that night, Nightengale said.
At some point she returned to her apartment, put Aiden in a car seat and returned to the neighbor's apartment for several more hours of drinking, Nightengale said.
Atuatasi returned home about 4 a.m. with her baby, who somehow ended up face down in a pile of clothes, Nightengale said.
She woke up about 6 a.m. and called 911 to say her baby was missing, Nightengale said. By the time police arrived, she had found Aiden and put him on the bed, Nightengale said.
Her blood-alcohol level was .23 percent as of 9 a.m., Oct. 31, Nightengale said.
Atuatasi is charged with involuntary manslaughter by unlawful act in unlawful manner and felony child abuse with a sentencing enhancement for causing great bodily injury to a child younger than 5. She is expected to be arraigned Monday, Nightengale said.
