The mother of a baby found dead Monday evening in Peoria has been denied pretrial release.
Andrea Luncsford, 25, faces up to 100 years for murder and child endangerment in the death of her infant son, Grayson.
The Peoria County Coroner said an autopsy of Grayson showed evidence he died of hyperthermia after he was left in a car, and was dehydrated and malnourished at the time of his death.
During a court hearing Thursday, assistant state’s attorney Deb Shelby said Luncsford told police during an interview that Grayson had been given four bottles in three hours the day he died — including one propped up so he could “feed himself.”
Luncsford’s father told police he and her brother had tried to find Luncsford and Grayson the day he died. Luncsford was driving a rented U-Haul pickup truck. Her father said she tried to drive away when he and the brother found her, but they were able to stop her and remove Grayson from the truck.
Life saving measures were attempted, but Grayson was already deceased. Luncsford allegedly said she just thought he was asleep.
A neighbor told police that she had seen the U-Haul truck parked in the driveway with the windows rolled up for much of the afternoon.
Police said Luncsford was “clearly intoxicated” when they arrived. A drug test would come back positive for cocaine. Officers conducted a preliminary interview, where she told them Grayson had been fed that day. She later told police she had been with Grayson in the car for many hours.
The autopsy showed Grayson had likely been dead for around 12 to 24 hours.
The state had filed a petition to deny pretrial release in the case. Shelby argued Luncsford’s criminal record and history of drug use meant she presented a danger to the public. Luncsford was also moving to Chicago.
The public defender argued Luncsford was no longer caring for a child, meaning this could not happen again. She said Luncsford was willing to move to Peoria during the trial and had a car to get herself to court hearings.
Luncsford appeared virtually in court wearing an orange jumpsuit. She attempted to defend herself, but Judge Mark Gillies asked her to remain quiet while he was speaking. She was visibly upset, shaking and putting her head down.
Gillies agreed with the state that Luncsford presented a danger to the general public and ordered she be held until her trial. He noted Luncsford had said she wanted to undergo treatment for drug addiction and bury her son, but said it was her inability to care for him that led to his death.
He said her criminal history, which includes two prior convictions for aggravated battery of a peace officer in McLean County and malicious treatment of an animal in South Carolina, showed there were no conditions which could protect the public.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 9.