Mother charged with infant’s death

A Lincoln Parish woman has been charged with negligent homicide in the death of her 2-month-old daughter.

Zakaeria M. Tatum, 19, of Ruston, was arrested Wednesday by Grambling city police in connection with the infant’s death in October 2019.

Tatum and the child’s father lived in Grambling at the time of the incident, police said.

Authorities said they received a call on Oct. 8 regarding an unresponsive child. At first, Tatum claimed to have awoken and found the toddler unresponsive in her crib.

But, after several interviews, a medical examiner’s investigation and other evidence at the scene, Tatum changed her story and confirmed she found the child unresponsive reportedly after rolling over on her while sleeping in the bed with the infant, police said.

Though the father was in the home at the time, he was not aware of the incident, police said.

Tatum’s bond was set at $20,000. As of Thursday morning, she remained in the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.