Oldham Woman Arrested On Suspicion of Suffocating Three Week-Old Baby

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of killing a three-week old baby in Greater Manchester.

The 55 year-old woman is being questioned after she killed the baby by lying on the child. It is believed that the suspect suffocated the infant while she was asleep.

Police were called to an address in Lynchgate Court, Oldham at 5.20am BST on Friday after paramedics found the baby "unresponsive". The baby was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The woman is believed to be related to the child and has been detained on suspicion of "overlaying" – a term used when a baby is believed to have been suffocated when somebody lies on top of him or her while they are asleep.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the woman is understood to be the baby's grandmother.

Detective Inspector Dave Moores said: "This is an absolutely tragic case in which a baby who is barely three weeks old has died. Any death of a baby is always extremely upsetting and keenly felt by family members and even the wider community.

"An investigation is under way and we are committed to identifying how and why this baby died. We also have officers supporting family members at what is clearly a very distressing time for them."

The family of the baby were being comforted by specially trained police officers on Saturday as a full police investigation gets underway.