GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- Glens Falls Police Chief Joe Bethel says the charges against Amanda Lewie, 22, were upgraded from reckless endangerment to manslaughter because she completely failed to act as a mother to her baby, 8-month-old Colbi Bullock.
Police said the baby died at the hands of Lewie's roommate, Michael Flint Jr. They said the abuse happened last week over two days where police believe Flint beat, choked and bit Colbi at his home on Bay Street. Police said they have good reason to upgrade the charges because they said Lewie was aware the abuse was happening to Colbi, but she didn't report it.
Bethel said, "She grossly disrgarded her obligation as a parent to protect her child. A parent is held to a higher standard to raise their own child."
Police are also looking into a call that was allegedly made to a child abuse hotline and if there had been a follow up to that call.
"We don't know what the reporting person said to them, and we don't know if they took a report. They may not have based on what the person was saying to them at the time," said Bethel.
A Glens Falls man charged with killing a baby pleads not guilty in court. Meanwhile, the mother of that child is facing manslaughter charges. Our Jessica Mokhiber has the latest.
Meanwhile in court, Flint pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. He was sent back to the Warren County Jail without bail. The judge noted that he has ten prior convictions, including a felony, and that he has failed to appear in court in the past.
As for Amanda Lewie, she has been free on bail but is scheduled to be arraigned in Warren County Court on the upgraded charges on Wednesday. She also has two young children. They're in the care of her parents.