Lawrenceburg mom sentenced to prison for infant's death

(LAWRENCEBURG, Ind.) – A Lawrenceburg mother has been sentenced to prison in connection to the death of her infant. 

Prosecutors say Raeleigh Phillips-Steelsmith left her infant strapped in a car seat for approximately 14 hours at home on Bellaire Drive in March of 2024. 

Phillips-Steelsmith told police that she had fallen asleep and then found her infant son slouched in the car seat. An autopsy was performed, and the probable diagnosis of death was positional asphyxia.

"The death of an infant is horrible and certainly tragic. However, the circumstances of the death and the recklessness exhibited by Phillips-Steelsmith constitute Reckless Homicide," stated Prosecutor Lynn Deddens. 

She was convicted of Reckless Homicide and a judge sentenced her to the maximum sentence of 6 years in prison on Monday.