Oak Ridge woman charged with murder in death of infant daughter in Knoxville

Note: This story was last updated at 1 p.m.

A woman listed as an Oak Ridge resident was arrested Saturday on murder and child abuse charges for the death of her three-month-old daughter due to a drug overdose in Knoxville in April 2015, authorities said.

Heather Renee Keylon, 31, of 134 Waddell Circle in Oak Ridge, is facing charges of felony murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child neglect, the Knoxville Police Department said. She was arrested Saturday and taken to the Knox County jail, where her bond has been set at $1 million.

Police responded to an unresponsive infant call at 3534 Old Valley View Drive, Apartment Number 12, in north Knoxville at about 12:39 p.m. April 21, 2015.

Keylon told police that her infant daughter, Skylar Brewer, had stopped breathing, the KPD said. The child had gone to sleep on the sofa, Keylon said, but she realized a short time later that Skylar wasn’t breathing and she called 911, authorities said.

The child was dead, the KPD said.

An autopsy was performed, and it included a toxicology report.

“Based on the findings of the autopsy, the child died due to a drug overdose,” the KPD said.

A presentment filed in Knox County Criminal Court on March 8, after the case was presented to a grand jury, alleged that Keylon “did knowingly and other than by accidental means treat Skylar Brewer…in such a manner with a controlled substance that injury was inflicted” and “did knowingly neglect Skylar Brewer” in a way that seriously injured her.

Among the witnesses in the case are a representative from the Department of Children’s Services and doctors from East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.

Knoxville media reported that Keylon has an extensive criminal history dating back more than a decade, including convictions for robbery and prostitution.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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