UPDATED: Woman arrested in January death of baby boy in Daleville

Woman arrested in January toxicity death of baby boy in Daleville

By Jan Murray

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A 22-year-old Ozark woman was arrested Thursday afternoon, Aug. 11, and charged in the death of her nine-month-old infant son.

Brieana Farmer was taken into custody by the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, according to Chief Deputy Mason Bynum.

Bynum said the woman's boyfriend was also arrested on separate charges.

"Yesterday while attempting to serve the arrest warrant (on Farmer), deputies discovered a large and elaborate in-door marijuana grow inside Farmer’s Ozark residence. Investigators secured a search warrant and processed the scene," Bynum said.

Brandon Kirkland, 31, of Ozark was charged with manufacturing of a controlled substance and first-degree possession of marijuana. Farmer was additionally charged with manufacturing of a controlled substance and second-degree possession of marijuana.

"While processing the (death) scene (in January) deputies located a small amount of marijuana inside the residence," said Bynum. "Investigators continued to work the case pending the toxicology report and final autopsy findings from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Based on the final report of death by toxicity, investigators obtained a warrant for manslaughter for the victim’s mother.”

“On Jan. 11, 2016, at approximately 7 p.m. Ozark/Dale County E911 received a call in reference to an unresponsive infant in the 200 block of Meadow Lane in Daleville,” according to Bynum, who said at that time that officers from the Daleville Police Department and deputies from the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, along with Daleville Rescue, responded to the scene and found the nine month-old male deceased.

Both Farmer and Kirkland have been booked into the Dale County Jail and are awaiting their first appearance hearings. The sheriff’s office was assisted by Dale County District Attorney’s Office, Daleville Police Department and the Ozark Police Department. Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation no further information will be released at this time, Bynum said.