Michelle Stanton (Cape May County Correctional Center) L C
A Villas woman who admitted accidentally causing the death of her infant son after drinking heavily and falling asleep holding him was sentenced to four years in prison this week.
Michelle Stanton, 29, drank 12 to 14 airplane bottles of vodka before falling asleep with the 6-month-old child in her arms June 25, 2023.
Hours later, the baby — identified only as C.C. — was found wedged between the mattress andthe wall of Stanton's bedroom unconscious and unresponsive.
The baby was taken to Cape Regional Medical, where he was pronounced dead just after 3 a.m.
An autopsy determined C.C. died as a result of mechanical asphyxia due to compression of his torso between the wall and mattress.
Stanton pleaded guilty Sept. 23, to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Under the plea agreement, she was sentenced as a third-degree crime.
She must serve at least 3½ years under the No Early Release Act.
Stanton was released pending the case, but was has been in the Cape May County Correctional Facility since July 4, jail records show.
At that time, she incurred a disorderly persons charge of criminal mischief for damaging property in Lower Township, court records show.
She will remain in the jail pending her transfer to state prison.
