COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Franklin County Coroner’s Office on Friday released details regarding the death of one of two twins who were previously the subjects of an Ohio Amber Alert.
On the night of Ky’air Thomas’ death on Jan. 29, the Columbus Division of Police responded to reports of a baby not breathing at an area home. Emergency crews took him to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The coroner’s office has since said the manner of death was undetermined, but that Ky’air’s sleeping position could have been a factor.
“The cause of death is ruled Sudden Unexplained Infant Death with other significant conditions including unsafe sleep environment; post-prandial infant placed facedown, unsupervised, on an adult bed, surrounded by excess pillows and blankets,” the coroner’s office wrote.
The coroner’s office said its examination of Ky’air did not find any evidence of trauma, foul play, abuse or neglect. It also did not make any mention of Ky’air’s kidnapping as any form of contributing factor in his death.
Ky’air was abducted on Dec. 19 in his mother’s car in front of a Columbus pizza shop, along with his twin brother, Kason. He was found within hours, left in the parking lot of the Dayton International Airport. Kason was found days later in the same car in Indianapolis.
The suspect in the abduction, 24-year-old Nalah Jackson, was also arrested in Indianapolis. She has a pretrial conference scheduled for March 15 and a federal trial tentatively scheduled for March 20.
Because Jackson crossed state lines during the kidnapping and ensuing Amber Alert, she faces two counts of kidnapping charges at the federal level. If convicted, Jackson faces at least 20 years up to life in prison.
Separately in Franklin County Municipal Court, Jackson also faces an additional two counts of kidnapping, alongside several lesser charges like driving while under suspension, reckless operation and failure to stop. An Indiana court has already convicted her of a battery charge stemming from her spitting on a deputy while being processed at an area jail.
Jackson was homeless prior to being accused of the kidnapping, and had a criminal history that included a prior child endangerment conviction related to her own children.
According to CelebrateOne, 150 infants die every year in Franklin County, with sleep-related deaths as the leading cause. Click here for resources on safe infant sleeping.
