Nine months after 3-year-old Alex Haney died in a freak washing machine accident, her mother has been arrested.
Brooke Haney, 25, faces two charges of endangering the welfare of a child, according to Us Weekly.
The fatal incident occurred on October 25th, when police were called to Haney’s Arkansas home after the mom had found her daughter dead in the family’s washing machine.
Haney explained to police that she had taken a nap with Alex and her other daughter, Brooklyn, 10 months. After waking up over an hour later, Haney realized that Alex had gone missing.
With a neighbor’s help, Haney searched the home for her daughter, only to find the toddler’s body in the washing machine.
The appliance is set to start once the lid closes. Authorities concluded that Alex had climbed in and sustained “scalding and thermal injuries” as a result.
Haney was reportedly high on prescription pills, including benzodiazepines (Xanax and Ativan fall under this class) at the time.
Police spoke to Haney’s third daughter, who has not yet been identified, revealing key evidence in the death.
The 7-year-old explained that she and Alex would often help their mom with laundry. One would climb into the washing machine to retrieve clothes, then the other would put them in the dryer.
Reports also state that Haney, who is expecting her fourth child next month, has a history of prescription abuse.
Last August, police pulled the mom over ( with Brooklyn in the back seat), and given sobriety tests. According to Arkansas Online, Haney failed each one.
The officer noted that Haney was “exhibiting behavior indicating she was under the influence of prescription medication,” court papers obtained by the Washington Post state.
Haney, it was also revealed, did not have a valid prescription for the meds in her possession.
Previously, the Louisiana Department of Human Services investigated Haney while she was pregnant with Brooklyn, citing “long-term drug abuse issues for both legal and illegal drugs.”
Haney’s court date is set for August 10th.
