Three-Month-Old Baby Dies at Black Hawk Casino After Police Report ‘Incident Involving an Infant’

A three-month-old baby died Saturday (Aug. 15) morning at the Ameristar Casino Resort in Black Hawk, Colo., after what police are describing as “an incident involving an infant.”

The Black Hawk Police Department (BHPD) said in a news release posted on Monday (Aug. 18) that officers and emergency medical responders were dispatched to the Ameristar at 111 Richman Street on a 9-1-1 call reporting an incident involving a baby.

The incident occurred inside a casino hotel room, but few other details have been made public. The BHPD has confirmed, however, that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death is underway.

State Resources Requested

The BHPD has requested the assistance of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and is also working with the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office in conducting what the law enforcement agencies are calling a “thorough investigation.”

“Requesting assistance from outside investigative agencies is a common practice in cases of this nature and provides additional investigative resources and expertise,” the police statement read.

The CBI provides investigative, forensic, and criminal justice services to support local, county, and state agencies. The CBI operates on a “by request” basis, assisting with complex cases, including homicides.

The investigators will determine what led to the baby’s death. Police did not specify on what floor or in which room type the baby was discovered.

Ameristar Black Hawk is centrally located in the historic mining settlement that was founded in 1859 during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush.

Ameristar is operated by Penn Entertainment. The casino features 940 slot machines, 40 table games, a poker room, and a sportsbook, while the on-site hotel offers 536 rooms, including 64 luxury suites.

Colorado Child Neglect

Under Colorado law, a person commits child abuse if they knowingly, recklessly, or through criminal negligence place a child in a dangerous situation or engage in a pattern of mistreatment that results in death.

A conviction carries a Class 2 felony charge when reckless conduct causes death, punishable by eight to 24 years in prison. If criminally negligent conduct causes death, it is classified as a Class 3 felony, carrying up to 16 years in prison.

Charges can be elevated to first-degree murder—which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole—if a defendant knowingly causes the death of a child.