Utah parents arrested after second infant dies amid co-sleeping concerns
Two parents in Bluffdale, Utah, were arrested on suspicion of child abuse homicide after their three-month-old son, Atreyu Nick Romero, was found unresponsive and died. Police allege the parents had been drinking alcohol and using marijuana before sleeping in the same bed as the baby, raising renewed questions about the risks of co-sleeping when caregivers are impaired.
According to police affidavits cited in local reports, Atreyu was swaddled and placed in a nursing pillow between his parents. His father said he had four to five shots of whiskey and used marijuana; his mother recorded a blood-alcohol level of 0.011 per cent and said she had taken prescribed medication. The couple also face a pending case connected to the 2024 death of their three-month-old daughter, Catherine; the article says her cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
- Utah parents were arrested after their three-month-old son died.
- Police allege the parents had used alcohol and marijuana before bed.
- The couple also have a pending case related to their daughter’s 2024 death.
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Sharing a bed with an infant can carry safety risks, particularly when caregivers have consumed alcohol or drugs. A three-month-old boy in Bluffdale, Utah, died whilst sleeping between his parents, leading to the arrests of both parents on suspicion of child abuse homicide.
According to police accounts, the father had consumed several shots of whiskey and marijuana before sharing a bed with his baby, whilst the mother had taken prescribed medication. The infant was placed in a nursing pillow between them as they slept.
This case is connected to a separate investigation into the 2024 death of the couple's three-month-old daughter, whose cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. The two infant deaths in the family have raised questions about safe sleeping practices and parental impairment.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Whilst the parents clearly exercised catastrophically poor judgment, they appear to struggle with serious substance abuse disorders. Criminal prosecution alone is unlikely to prevent future tragedies; evidence-based addiction treatment and family support services address the actual root cause and may be more effective at protecting children. Additionally, criminalising parents in tragic circumstances may discourage vulnerable families from seeking help for addiction.
The case against
Parents bear an absolute responsibility to keep their infants safe, and knowingly co-sleeping whilst severely intoxicated on multiple substances represents a fundamental breach of that duty. Two infant deaths in the same household following similar circumstances indicates a dangerous pattern that goes beyond tragic accident. Criminal accountability is essential both for deterrence and to protect any remaining children.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Couple arrested after their second child dies at $500k Utah home in 2 years… after dad admits to shooting whiskey and smoking weed before bed”.