Brian Lemke and Allysen Armenta (Canyon County Sheriff's Office).
A mother and father in Idaho tried to cover up the death of their 12-day-old baby, with cops saying the child suffocated in a "filthy" trailer and was then moved to a house, according to court documents. The dad allegedly told cops the mom rolled over on the baby while they were sleeping, after initially claiming he found the child unconscious in a bassinet.
Nampa police say Brian Lemke, 31, and Allysen Armenta, 28, texted each other after their child's death instead of immediately calling police, according to court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate KTVB. Both are charged with felony injury to a child, hiding evidence, failing to report or delaying reporting a death, resisting and obstruction.
It's unclear who directly caused the baby's death, only that police believe the child suffocated inside the trailer, which was allegedly filled with trash, food, dirt, cigarettes, and animal feces.
"What did I do," Lemke allegedly texted Armenta. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, but it be my fault. Are they saying SIDS?"
Nampa police responded to a 911 call from Lemke on Dec. 16 at around 3:32 a.m., according to a press release posted on Facebook. Officers went to a property in the 300 block of Lone Star Road and spoke with Lemke at a house where he claimed the baby died. Armenta was not at the scene.
"After further investigation by detectives, it was determined the infant passed away in a different location and was later moved into the house," police say in reference to the trailer. "Officers also found the infant's mother hiding in a camp trailer in the backyard. She was taken into custody without incident on an unrelated out-of-county warrant."
Cops investigated the child's death and Armenta was arrested again with Lemke on Monday. Court records show that the couple has multiple prior convictions for injuring children in Idaho. They had other kids removed from their home in recent years and placed in foster care, some for hazardous living conditions, KTVB reports.
The couple is scheduled to both appear in court next month for their preliminary hearings.
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