PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A 2-month-old baby in the custody of state child welfare authorities has died, officials said Monday.
The male baby, who was in the temporary custody of the state Department of Children, Youth and Families died overnight, the agency said in an emailed statement.
Westerly police Chief Shawn Lacey told the Globe that the child’s father, Lindsey Brown, was arrested the day of the incident for an outstanding bench warrant and violation of a no-contact order with the mother.
Westerly police said the incident was reported to them at 1:50 p.m. by the medical examiner’s office. Police determined that the child was transported to the hospital by his parents a little after 11 a.m. and the child was pronounced dead at 12:23 p.m. after resuscitation efforts failed.
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Lacey said he was not sure why the child was in state custody, but that the child had been placed with the mother’s father.
No additional information about the child or the circumstances of the death was immediately made public and an autopsy was performed Tuesday.
Lacey said the investigation is ongoing.
The Department of Children, Youth and Families said it would release more information as it learns more about the death.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.