Warrants released in Tuesday night’s death of a 6-month-old baby boy say his Augusta parents were “under the influence of various substances” when they left the child unsupervised for a minimum of two hours in a nasty home.
The familiar couple – who beat murder charges in last year’s death of their 1-year-old son – claimed they had been watching TV for 40 minutes. But the arrest warrants for Tyrone Christopher Scott and his wife Salena Tyler-Scott paint a different picture in the death of infant Samson Scott.
The warrant says: “While under the influence of various substances, the accused and co-defendant left said minor unsupervised in another room of their residence for a minimum of approximately two (2) hours without food or care. Said minor was subject to extreme living conditions, which included, but not limited to, roach infestation, exposure to illegal narcotics and alcohol, broken furniture, and dangerous instruments. The child would later succumb to health complications. This offense occurred at 1906 Watkins Street in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia.”
Meanwhile, District Attorney Jared Williams explained his reasoning for dropping murder and child cruelty charges on the couple after the sheriff’s office arrested them last year in the death of 1-year-old Travis Scott. That child died after his ventilator was removed, according to doctors.
“The warrants from 2021 were dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” Williams said by email.
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An Augusta couple is facing child cruelty charges after their unattended baby died Tuesday night in their home, a year after they were charged with murder in the death of another child.
Samson Scott, the 6-month-old son of Tyrone Christopher Scott and his wife Salena Devine Tyler-Scott, died after being found unresponsive on a reclining couch Tuesday night.
The couple had left the baby alone in the living room around 10 p.m. in the reclining couch “on his back but kind of on his back” while they watched TV for about 40 minutes, a sheriff’s report says.
“When Tyrone went into the room to check on their child, they found him unresponsive and that is when they dialed 911 and began chest compressions,” the report says.
The child was rushed by Gold Cross to Augusta University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:11 p.m., Coroner Mark Bowen said. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death.
Authorities say the home at 1906 Watkins Street was found in deplorable and nasty conditions with items stacked all over. A call to city Code Enforcement officials is expected.
The same couple made big news last year after being charged with murder and child cruelty in the death of 1-year-old Travis Scott. They were accused of causing his death in February 2021 by turning off the ventilator used by the toddler.
Media reports say both couple were given bond in March 2021. Those charges appear to have been dismissed as they are not listed on the county’s case management file. It was reportedly closed without indictment, according to The Augusta Press.
At a bond hearing in 2021, a defense attorney called the Travis’ death a “horrible, tragic loss” and asked for his mother’s release so she could prepare a defense and be with her family, according to a WRDW report.
