Background: The Lee County Jail in Montrose, Iowa (Google Maps). Inset: Jaley Bush (Lee County Sheriff's Office).
An Iowa mother fell asleep with her baby and awoke to find the child unresponsive inside of a trash can, authorities say.
Jaley Bush, 28, was charged with child endangerment resulting in death after her son, identified as R.S., died. Though she was arrested for the alleged crime late last month, the incident involving her child occurred at the start of 2025.
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On Jan. 27, Bush was visiting a friend at his home on Hickory Terrace in Keokuk, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime. She brought along her infant son, and the two of them "passed out" on a bed in a basement bedroom.
When Bush awoke, she found her son "head first and unresponsive inside of a trash can next to the bed," the court document states. The child had fallen asleep "on the inside portion of the bed" and the defendant believed he "must have crawled over or around her before falling into the trash can."
Officers with the Keokuk Police Department responded to the home at about 2 p.m. and began lifesaving efforts on R.S. They also spoke with Bush, who "exhibited signs of being under the influence of some form of narcotics as her demeanor was stoic and her speech appeared to be slurred." The mother and child went to the hospital, and she shared her story.
Before falling asleep that day, Bush said she took Klonopin, a sedative that "produces a calming effect on the brain and nerves" and "helps to reduce anxiety, prevent seizures, and promote relaxation," according to WebMD. She allegedly "did not know whom the pills belonged to," according to the criminal complaint.
The following day, authorities secured a search warrant to obtain a blood sample from Bush. She tested positive for methamphetamine and benzodiazepines, the latter of which is the classification for Klonopin. She told police she did not take any drugs from the time first responders arrived at her home to the time the drug test was taken, per the court document.
R.S. was pronounced dead on Feb. 5 with the cause of death ruled to be asphyxia — a lack of oxygen.
Bush appeared in court for her charge on Tuesday, per local CBS affiliate KHQA.
Keokuk is located in southeastern Iowa, straddling the borders of Missouri and Illinois.
