9 On Your Side Crime Watch
Mother accused of murdering infant out of jail
Autopsy report: cause, manner of death 'undetermined'
Reporter: Claire Doan
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) – A mother accused of killing her baby is no longer behind bars.
KGUN9 News has confirmed that Stacy Anne Banks, 37, is home with her family after her bond was reduced from $50,000 to $20,000 following autopsy results. According to the report, the medical examiner could not determine the manner or cause of death.
Police arrested Banks on suspicion of second-degree murder after the death of her infant Neveah.
Banks and her family have maintained that the death with an accident –that she didn’t know she had rolled over the baby and woke up to find Neveah blue and unconscious.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office told 9 On Your Side that given newly-released autopsy results, prosecutors are reevaluating the case to determine if they will move forward with the murder charge.
Deon Banks, Neveah’s 20-year-old brother, has endured more than most. His baby sister died a mere eight weeks after she was born and his mother stands accused of murder.
“That was my little angel. I miss her. I know she’s watching over us, so I guess she’s in a better place,” Deon said.
When asked about his mother, he responded: “She’s a great mom … I love her to death. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.”
However, that does not mean Banks did nothing wrong that night. Court records show she admitted to police that she smoked crack and breastfed the baby before going to bed. When she woke up, she said realized the baby was no longer breathing.
Deon said his mother loved Neveah and after she returned home from jail, she couldn’t stand to the room where it happened. Deon also said Child Protective Services took his two other siblings away.
“It’s going to take some time for everything to heal, but it should be okay. She’s with her family. She’s not incarcerated and locked down behind bars,” Deon said.
Greg Hess, Pima County’s Chief Medical Examiner, said the autopsy results are only an indication that there were no injuries – but they could not determine the cause of death. He added that when babies die of suffocation, there usually aren’t any signs of it during the post-mortem examination.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.