Illinois Mother Arrested in Death of Baby

Illinois mother Andrea Luncsford was arrested after the hot car death of her son, Grayson.

At a Glance

Andrea N. Luncsford, 25, of Peoria, was charged with murder and endangering the life or health of a child.
Her 1-month-old son, Grayson, was found dead after being left unattended in a hot vehicle.
Luncsford was reportedly acting erratically and tested positive for cocaine.
Grayson was found in a U-Haul van by Luncsford’s father and brother.
The child was reportedly gray-blue and unable to breathe when police arrived.

Incident Overview

On Monday, Sept. 16, Andrea Luncsford, a 25-year-old mother from Peoria, was arrested. According to reports, her 1-month-old son, Grayson, died after being left in a hot car. Luncsford faces charges of murder and endangering the life or health of a child. Police discovered the tragedy after being called to a home on the 2400 block of North Peoria Avenue.

Responding officers found Grayson in a U-Haul van parked outside the residence. The Peoria County Coroner, Jamie Harwood, reported that the child appeared severely malnourished and underdeveloped, suffering from hyperthermia and profound dehydration from being left in the vehicle for several hours without food or water. The preliminary autopsy suggested the infant had been deceased for 12-24 hours before being discovered.

Further Details and Arrest

Luncsford’s father and brother made the tragic discovery upon checking the van. Upon police arrival, the mother was allegedly acting erratically and was later found to have tested positive for cocaine. The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed a petition to hold Luncsford before trial, and a hearing was scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m., presided over by Circuit Judge Mark Gilles.

Luncsford rented the U-Haul in Chicago after attending her husband’s visitation. Surveillance footage indicated the van had been in Chicago and later seen in Morton, East Peoria, and Peoria. Grayson’s paternal grandfather, who had last seen the baby in Chicago, confirmed the child was healthy at that time. However, the infant was wearing the same clothes when found deceased.

Broader Context

Authorities often emphasize the dangers associated with leaving children in hot cars, an issue alarmingly prevalent in the United States. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had been investigating Luncsford for substantial risk of physical injury or environment since early September. This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences leaving a child in a hot car can have on the most vulnerable among us.