A Knoxville, Iowa, mother has been charged with child endangerment resulting in death after her 5-week-old son was found unresponsive in November 2025, according to court records and recent local reports.
Brigette Renard, 18, was arrested August 26 in connection with the infant’s death and booked into the Marion County Jail. She was later released after posting a $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 3.
The case stems from a November 21, 2025, incident in Knoxville. Deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and emergency responders were called after receiving a report that a 5-week-old baby was not breathing, was unresponsive and had no pulse.
First responders attempted life-saving measures before the infant was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to the criminal complaint, Renard initially told investigators that her son had been sleeping in a bassinet. During a later interview, authorities say she acknowledged that the baby had actually been in bed with her and her partner.
Renard told investigators she had been breastfeeding the infant when she fell asleep. She said she later woke up and found the baby lying unresponsive beside her, according to court documents.
Investigators also collected clothing Renard was wearing at the time of the incident. Court records say a bra containing blood spatter was submitted to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation laboratory for testing. The DNA analysis provided strong support that the blood belonged to the infant.
The criminal complaint alleges that Renard was already aware of the risks associated with co-sleeping because another one of her biological children had previously died in a separate co-sleeping incident. Local reporting identifies that earlier death as having occurred in 2023.
The infant, identified in funeral-home records as Waylon Jaymes Hay, was born October 14, 2025, and died November 21 at 5 weeks old. His obituary describes him as a happy baby who loved being held close to his chest.
Renard is charged with child endangerment resulting in death, a Class B felony. The charge is an allegation, and the criminal case remains pending. Her preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for September 3.
