A North Carolina mother has been charged with involuntarily manslaughter after killing her baby accidentally by co-sleeping while stoned a year after her oldest child died ‘in the same way.’
Mackenzie Katlyn Reed, 24, was arrested and charged with felony child abuse and involuntary manslaughter after her baby, Zhen, who died on October 3 2023.
According to police, he is the second baby in the family to die that way.
Police were called to her home in Wilmington, North Carolina, for an ‘unconscious infant who was not breathing’ and police found that ‘the infant’s mother, Mackenzie Reed, was co-sleeping with the infant and during the night she suffocated her child.’
Lt Greg Willett said: ‘The year prior, in 2022, Reed had another child who died that she had been co-sleeping with as well.’
Reed said she could not believe ‘she had done this a second time,’ according to a police report obtained by StarNews.
A photo from the Facebook profile appearing to belong to Mackenzie Reed
Mackenzie Katlyn Reed of Wilmington is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect causing serious physical injury
Baby Zhen (left) died in October 2023, a year after baby Justin (right). Police say both died while co-sleeping
Police were called to the 800 block of Castle Street in Wilmington just after 2:30 am on October 3 after receiving a call about an unconscious infant.
They attempted to revive the baby but were unsuccessful.
Officers then began an ‘in-depth investigation’.
A police report seen by StarNews said that ‘the mother was smoking THC and using THC gummies during the day and evening.’
The complaint says Reed had fed the infant around midnight before falling asleep with him beside her.
Reed mourned both her sons on social media while asking ‘why is this happening to me again?’
Then when the baby’s twin started crying, the father woke to find the baby face down in bed, with Reed’s arm across him and his ‘face in a blanket.’
‘The year prior, in 2022, Reed had another child who died that she had been co-sleeping with as well.’
Reed was arrested and charged with felony child abuse serious injury, involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect serious physical injury on March 6.
She is currently being held in jail under a $500,000 secured bond. It is unclear if she has entered a plea at this time.
Two months after allegedly causing her son’s death by co-sleeping while high, she posted a meme about weed ‘not being your friend’
On the day of the second baby’s death, a Facebook profile appearing to belong to Reed posted: ‘Why is this happening to me again my heart can’t handle this.’
It then shared links to a GoFundMe set up in memory of Zhen Clemmons, a baby who died on October 3.
Lt Willett said: ‘During the investigation, it was discovered that the infant’s mother, Mackenzie Reed, was co-sleeping with the infant and during the night she suffocated her child.
The GoFundMe reads: ‘A tragedy for many but a triumph for the heavens, God unexpectedly called his beloved son, Zhen Clemmons home on October 3, 2023.
‘No person is ever prepared for the loss of a loved one, especially the loss of a child whose life was just beginning. This is no different for the family of little Zhen.
‘Earthside, he leaves behind two loving parents and three brothers, all who must learn to navigate this world without him on top of facing all the other hardships that follow loss.
‘To help alleviate these hardships and allow his loved ones the time and space to grieve, we ask the public to rally in support behind them.’
DailyMail.com contacted Wilmington Police Department for comment.