Baby dies after put next to space heater, officials say; mother, mother’s boyfriend charged

He was identified as Imir Kent, who was pronounced dead by the county coroner, the Macon Beacon reported.

The baby was found by the child's mother's boyfriend, who is not the child's father, WMAZ reported.

Three adults lived at the home, the baby boy's mother, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's brother. All three were questioned by law enforcement, WMAZ reported.

The baby's mother, Jalicia Aquanetta Kent, and her boyfriend, Quantious Trenard Hodges were both charged with murder and are being held without bond, WMAZ reported.

Hodges’ brother was questioned and released.

As for the reason Kent and Hodges were charged with murder instead of manslaughter, the sheriff's office said it was based "on the actions of the suspects," WMAZ reported.

Officials said they were told that the baby was left in a car seat but was unattended. His mother was in another room. The baby supposedly got out of the car seat and ended up on the heater, the coroner said, according to the Beacon.

WGXA reported that neither Kent nor Hodges checked on Imir from the time he was placed near the heater until he was found the next morning.

An autopsy was scheduled to find out the child's cause of death, but officials said the baby had burns on his body, both the Beacon and WMAZ reported.