Amber Winstead, 36, has been convicted of manslaughter after her 3-month-old son died. Winstead was reportedly under the influence of drugs when the incident occurred, Mirror US says.
According to the outlet, on last New Year’s Day, Amber, who was under the influence, got into a bath with her 3-month-old son, Ki’Arri Rayne Winstead, at a motel in Louisville. The infant drowned after Winstead fell asleep during their bath. In November, Winstead pled guilty to a manslaughter charge. She will now spend almost a decade behind bars.
A 3-month-old baby drowned in a hotel bathtub when his mother, Amber Winstead, who had taken drugs, fell asleep. Winstead was arrested for manslaughter with a $100,000 bond set. Law&Crime’s @SierraGillespie explains what we know about this tragic case. pic.twitter.com/5etDNKT7cu
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) January 15, 2025
According to Law&Crime, the Kentucky woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison on a manslaughter charge, along with two additional years for a parole violation from a 2021 narcotics possession charge. As reported by the outlet, Amber will now have to serve at least 85 percent of her manslaughter charge before she could be eligible for parole.
According to the Mirror US, on January 1, the police received a call from Motel 6 on Airport Hotel Boulevard early in the morning. When they arrived, they discovered Ki’Arri in an unresponsive state. According to the court documents, it was clear that Amber went into the bath with him and then fell asleep. Winstead did not wake until after her son had drowned, authorities say. When the first responders arrived at the scene, the infant was pronounced dead.
Mom admitted to falling asleep while her 3-month-old drowned https://t.co/FDbGqe5ZF6 pic.twitter.com/0IXcTKcD1G
— The Independent (@Independent) November 4, 2025
According to the outlet, Winstead was arrested at her son’s funeral, just before he was laid to rest. Bryce Dean, who is representing her, argued in November that she should be on house arrest until the sentencing is delivered. “When Ms. Winstead was arrested on this case that was at her child’s funeral. She never attended her child’s funeral. She was arrested in the parking lot,” said Dean.
The attorney added, “She would like to visit her child’s grave. She would like to have just a little bit of closure before she goes to DOC.” Judge Trish Morris said that she had “obvious empathy” for the mother and claimed that she would grant the request. However, it is unclear whether Morris ultimately granted Winstead’s house arrest request.
Fox affiliate WDRB reports that as part of Amber’s plea agreement, a prior persistent felony offender charge against her was dropped. Following Thursday’s hearing, she would now spend the next decade behind bars.
