In yet another horrific case, parents Angel Talbert and James Smith, from West Virginia, have grabbed headlines after the death of their 4-month-old in November 2024. After the testing results came, the couple was charged with murder, child neglect resulting in death, and conspiracy. According to the sheriff, the infant was found unresponsive at home. Reportedly, Smith told investigators that Talbert had woken up early and asked him to check on the baby. After knowing that she wasn’t breathing, the couple gave her CPR and called 911.
The baby was rushed to the Braxton County Memorial Hospital but did not survive. Moreover, on April 10, 2025, the medical examiner found an extremely high level of ethanol in the infant’s system (around 3.21, as per the outlet). While the parents denied that they had any idea how alcohol went inside the kid’s system, it was found that the duo had been following an old and dangerous folk remedy on the infant.
4-month-old baby died after parents continually rub alcohol on her gums, cops say https://t.co/Z8qIepMyVT pic.twitter.com/Rl8RtPRf5E
— The Independent (@Independent) April 22, 2025
As per The Independent, it was found on April 14 that Angel Talbert and James Smith had been regularly rubbing alcohol on the baby’s gums to soothe her when she became moody or fussy. The duo carried out the technique for almost a month. Moreover, the deputies who went to investigate the couple’s home complained that it was found in an alarming condition with cockroaches, dirt, and no running water in the kitchen and the bathroom.
Meanwhile, healthcare professionals have strongly condemned the use of alcohol for infants, especially to calm them down, as their bodies are too fragile and underdeveloped to process alcohol safely.
“Parents should never apply alcohol to the gums, as it can be poisonous to young bodies, which are not developed enough to safely handle alcohol,” according to the Miami Centre for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry.
Instead, as per sources, there are many other normal methods to calm a child down. Like using calming motions, reminding babies of movements they felt in the womb, limiting daytime naps, keeping track of feeding times and looking for early signs of hunger.
Furthermore, the couple is currently being held in prison without a bond. Even though this case is simply a result of negligence and lack of information, this is not the first time that such a weird and heartbreaking case has been recorded in West Virginia. In the past, a 28-year-old West Virginia man, Thomas Wimer, faced serious child abuse charges after allegedly subjecting his girlfriend’s young son to constant violent treatment.
According to WSAZ News, the abuse came to light when the small kid spoke up. Sadly, as per the American SPCC, the highest rate of child abuse is in children under age one (22.2 per 1,000), out of which males had a higher child (infant) fatality rate than girls. What’s more shocking is that an estimated 50-60% of maltreatment fatalities are not recorded on death certificates.
