Lumpkin County mom jailed in death of infant

DAHLONEGA - A Dahlonega woman has been charged in the suffocation of her infant son, 10 months after the baby's death.

Christy Whitey, 24, of 4193 Porter Springs Road, was indicted by the Lumpkin County grand jury August 24, 2009 on charges of murder and two counts of possession of methamphetamine in connection with the October 14, 2008 death of her 7-month-old son.

Lumpkin County Sheriff's Department spokesman Darrin Martin says there were multiple reasons for the delay in returning the indictment against Whitey.

"One, the backlog at the State Crime Lab; the autopsy report and the toxicology report didn't come in until late February of 2009," said Martin. "Also, the investigator who was in charge of the case was also out on some medical leave."

In addition, the session of the grand jury was not scheduled until August.

Martin said that deputies who responded to the home on October 14 found the infant unconscious and not breathing. The investigation lead authorities to believe that Whitey had rolled over on the infant during the night and suffocated the baby.

Martin also said that tests revealed that Whitey had meth in her system. Investigators also discovered meth at the scene.

Whitey was jailed Thursday on the charges.