Two mothers have been charged with neglect of a dependent in connection with the deaths of their babies while they slept together in separate incidents in recent months.

In both cases, the mothers — Ada Jean Baldwin, 28, of Seymour and Hailey Joe Martin, 25, also of Seymour, were found to have illegal drugs — methamphetamine, cocaine and/or marijuana — in their systems at the time of their child’s deaths,  according to a news release from Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer.

Both woman face a Level 6 felony charge of neglect of a dependent that places the child in a situation that endangers their life or health.

Baldwin, who is incarcerated at the Washington County Jail from a previous arrest for felony theft, was arrested on a Jackson Circuit Court warrant Wednesday.

Martin, arrested on a Jackson Circuit warrant early Thursday morning by Seymour police, also faces a Class B misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.

Baldwin’s arrest stems from an investigation that started when police received a call of an unresponsive child on Nov. 20, 2020, in the Freetown area. County officers Alan Jones and Aaron Wilkins were the first to arrive at the scene. The case was then turned over to Detective J.L. McElfresh who was assisted by Detective Sgt. Stan Darlage, Detective Mark Holt and Bob Lucas, a crime scene investigator.

The investigation that led to Martin’s arrest began on Jan. 18 in Hamilton Township. County Officer Zack Elliott responded to that incident. McElfresh then took over the case and was assisted by Darlage.

For more on this story, read Friday’s edition of The Tribune.