By Kathy Chaffin
kchaffin@salisburypost.comThe Rowan County Department of Social Services investigated the 2007 suffocation death of the 29-day-old infant son of a Salisbury woman charged with second-degree murder in the weekend death of another infant son.
Social Services Director Sandra Wilkes said Thursday that Child Protective Services had been called to investigate the Nov. 11, 2007, death of Zy-marion Dwayne Myers, son of Latoyia Niccole Myers. “But we did not substantiate any abuse or neglect,” she said. “It appeared at the time that the child died of natural causes, and so we closed the case.”
Wilkes said Child Protective Services had not had any further contact with the mother until news of the weekend death of her 2-month-old son, Jyhiem Adam Bacon. Preliminary autopsy results indicate the cause of death was suffocation.
The autopsy report from Zy-marion’s death ruled the cause to be accidental suffocation.
Because there is a third child in the home, Wilkes said Child Protective Services has reopened the investigation. “Our interest is in making sure the other child is protected,” she said.
Myers, 24, of 617 Linn Lane called 911 from her room in the Happy Traveler Inn Saturday afternoon. When Salisbury police arrived, Jyhiem was not responsive. Emergency medical personnel tried to revive him, but the baby was already dead.
Upon searching the room, investigators found marijuana and cocaine. Myers was charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine and taken to the Rowan County Detention Center.
Myers was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday, at which time officers reported finding a small amount of cocaine in her possession. She was additionally charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance on jail premises.
In the earlier fatality, authorities received a 911 call regarding an unresponsive baby. Medical responders tried to revive the infant, but were unsuccessful.
Myers remained in custody Thursday evening on $250,000 bond for second-degree murder and $5,000 bond for possession of cocaine on jail premises.
Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-4249.