A 21-year-old Ronkonkoma woman was indicted last week on charges that she starved her 10-month-old son to death seven months ago, Suffolk County prosecutors said.
Louisa Givens pleaded not guilty Monday at Suffolk County court to second-degree manslaughter, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of her 2-year-old daughter, Ava Johnson.
Prosecutors said Givens called 911 to report that she found her son, Kayden Givens, unresponsive and not breathing on the evening of May 19. The boy was later pronounced dead at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital.
Investigators found the baby had been left unattended for at least 17 hours before Givens made that call and the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s office determined the boy died of malnutrition and dehydration, authorities said.
Kayden’s older sister, who was also found to be suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, was taken Stony Brook University Hospital, where she recovered after nine days, prosecutors said. Johnson is now living in foster care.
Givens’ arrest came after months of toxicological and other tests to determine the boy’s cause and manner of death.
Judge Stephen Braslow set bail for Givens at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. She is due back in court Friday.
