BELFAST — A Troy woman was convicted of manslaughter in Waldo County Superior Court Nov. 7, in the death of her infant son.

Miranda Hopkins, 32, was initially charged with murder, though the charge was later reduced to manslaughter. 

Hopkins called 9-1-1 Jan. 12, to report that she had woken up to find her seven week-old son cold and not breathing beside her in bed. Law enforcement responding to the home reported that when they arrived on the scene they found the child “covered in bruises,” according to an affidavit.

The officer on scene attempted to render aid to the child while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. An emergency medical technician took over CPR upon arrival, but after roughly 20 minutes the child was found to be without any signs of life.

Hopkins was reportedly adamant that the baby was uninjured when she put him in bed around 9 p.m. She also stated the baby was warm and breathing when she went to sleep roughly 90 minutes later.

It was just over three hours later, at 1:47 a.m., that Hopkins said she woke to find the child cold to the touch and with visible bruising on his head.

She reportedly denied any knowledge of how the injuries were sustained,

A subsequent examination showed the infant died from blunt force head injuries, including skull fractures, and bleeding on the brain. He was also found to have sustained fractures to his right shoulder and rib.

In later interviews, Hopkins wondered if she may have blacked out as a consequence of the Benadryl tablet and estimated ¼  of a bottle of whiskey she consumed the night of the child’s death, according to court documents.

Hopkins, whose story to law enforcement changed several times, would later question whether her two older children, both severely impacted by autism, could have been responsible for the death.

She is expected to be sentenced Dec. 13, at 8:30 a.m.

 Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com