A preliminary autopsy shows a 7-week-old boy from Port Arthur who was placed near a humidifier and heater died of cardiolpulmonary arrest due to severe heat exposure and thermal burns, according to information provided to KFDM News by Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam late Wednesday afternoon.

Port Arthur Police and Child Protective Services are investigating the death of 7-week-old Jashawn Keller.

A CPS spokeswoman says the death appears to be a tragic accident, and authorities are warning parents and others to be aware when operating a humidifier near a baby.

"It's very tragic, very saddening. This time of year coupled with the fact that it's a 7-week-old baby," says Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam.

Gillam says baby deaths are hard on him, despite his many years of handling death investigations.

Tuesday night authorities called Gillam to a home in the 1800 block of Houston Avenue, where 7-week-old Jashawn Keller was found unresponsive.

"The child was placed in a car seat with a humidifier right near it and a piece of plastic was put over the child and a plastic sheet was put over the baby and the humidifier," says Shari Pulliam with Child Protective Services.

Investigators say according to relatives, the infant had breathing problems. He was placed in a car seat on the floor of a room with a humidifier next to him.

Authorities say a plastic sheet was put over the humidifier and car seat, and an oil-pan heater was nearby.

Investigators say the extreme heat burned the baby over 80 percent of his body.

Pharmacist Larry Plunk says while humidifiers and vaporizers are commonly used and not typically dangerous, parents and others should use caution when operating them.

"Just like steam out of an iron or steam any other place. It's just hot air. It's hot, moist air. If too close to exposed surface, can cause burns," says pharmacist Larry Plunk.

"Any time you have a humidifier on a child or a heating system near a child you have to be very careful. Check on that child often. Don't put a humidifier too close to the child," says Pulliam.

Too close, or in combination with another heating device. Which in this case, may have led to the death of an infant.

"It does look like a tragic accident at this point," says Pulliam.

Port Arthur Police will turn the case over to the District Attorney's office to determine if charges should be filed.

CPS removed a 12-year-old from the home, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Earlier Story:

A preliminary autopsy shows a Port Arthur infant placed near a humidifier and heater died of cardiolpulmonary arrest due to severe heat exposure and thermal burns, according to information provided to KFDM News by Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam late Wednesday afternoon.

7-week-old Jashawn Keller had been placed near a humidifier and was discovered with burns so severe the skin on his entire body had peeled, according to Gillam. He told KFDM that the infant was in an ambulance when he pronounced the baby dead Tuesday night.

The Port Arthur Fire Department and EMS received a call at 6:32 p.m. Tuesday about an unresponsive infant in the 18 hundred block of Houston Avenue. First responders called the Port Arthur Police Department.

According to investigators, the 7-week-old boy had died in the residence and had major burns on his body.

Judge Gillam told KFDM News when he arrived the baby was already in an ambulance and was dead.

The steam from the humidifier had caused the skin to peel on the baby's entire body, according to Gillam, who told KFDM News a humidifier was in a car seat on the floor of the baby's bedroom.

The death is under investigation by the Port Arthur Police Department and Child Protective Services.

Shari Pulliam with Child Protective Services told KFDM News the infant lived at the home with his 20-year-old mother and grandmother. Pulliam says according to the family, the child had been diagnosed with breathing problems.

"The child was placed was in a car seat on the floor, with a humidifier next to him," said Pulliam. "A plastic sheet was placed over the humidifier and car seat with the infant in it. There was an oil pan heater on the floor, outside the plastic tent covering the baby and the humidifier. That heated the steam and the baby was burned on 80 percent of his body. The mistake was placing the heater next to the humidifier. It appears to be a tragic accident."

Pulliam told KFDM News has removed a 12-year-old relative from the home, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Stay with KFDM News for the latest on the story.

http://www.kfdm.com/news/preliminary-35773-arthur-shows.html

Emphasis added by H4K Editor