Albany woman charged in death of infant daughter

ALBANY — The mother of one-month-old baby has been charged in the negligent death of her infant daughter, according to Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards.

Edwards said Latasha Nicole Walker, 37, also known as Latasha Mathis, was arrested late Monday and transported to the Dougherty County jail.

Walker is charged with reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Saturday death of Niya Richardson, who was born Aug. 30. While some results of the autopsy are pending, Edwards said that early reports revealed no obvious injuries to the infant. Mathis’ charges stem from interviews and the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, Edwards said.

“The allegations are that Mathis was sleeping in the same bed with the baby,” Edwards said, “and that Mathis was drunk when she rolled on top of Richardson and smothered her.”

The case is investigated by the District Attorney’s Child Death Team under Edwards’ direction, following an initial police response to Walker’s home on Riley Street Saturday morning.

Jail officials say Walker has been freed from jail on a $3,000 bond.