(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City woman could face significant prison time for the starvation death of her infant son.  Shianne Gramlin, 21, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with neglect of a dependent causing death. 

 

Gramlin's nine week old son passed away in April but charges were not filed until recently after cause of death following an autopsy was ruled starvation from malnourishment.

 

According to court documents, the investigation shows Gramlin strictly breast fed the boy, whose weight had dropped from more than nine pounds at birth to over six pounds when he passed away at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago.  Police said Gramlin told investigators she also nursed her older son who lost weight until switching him to formula after she was diagnosed with a deficiency in her milk.

 

According to court documents, Gramlin said she was interested in switching her youngest son to formula after noticing his weight loss but wanted approval from a doctor like she obtained for her other son.  Police said the infant passed away soon after he arrived at the hospital by helicopter a day before his scheduled doctor’s appointment.  The appointment was more than a week after it was scheduled but Gramlin decided to wait instead of taking him to an urgent care facility or hospital emergency room to be seen by a doctor sooner, police said.

 

The investigation shows after being discovered unconscious, the boy was driven by Gramlin and his father to Franciscan Health, which made arrangements for him to be airlifted.  Police said it took the parents one hour, though, to leave their home with the child.

 

According to court documents, Gramlin told investigators she conducted regular feedings and didn’t mean for this to happen to her son.

 

She was being held in the LaPorte County Jail on $100,000 bond.  Gramlin could face anywhere from a 20 to 40 year sentence on the Level 1 felony charge.