Unresponsive 5-month-old child at daycare has died

A Texas state CPS investigation and a Williamson County criminal investigation have been opened after  a 5-month-old infant died Thursday at a in-home daycare.  

It was an emotionally charged scene Thursday morning in front of this Truman Cove house. The distress was about a 5-month-old child that was being cared for inside.

"Rest assured, what ever happened in there, we are going to find out," said Sheriff Chody. Williamson County Sheirff Robert Chody says the call for help came around 8:30.

One of his deputies was the first to arrive and found the infant unresponsive.

"(The deputy) Applied cpr, for about a minute before Jollyville Fire Department came in and took over, no matter what happened during those events afterwards, it was almost an hour, that they continued to try to revive this young child, efforts were no good," said Sheriff Chody. 

The house is an in-home daycare and Sheriff Chody opened a criminal investigation but indicated investigators did not see anything out of the ordinary when they went inside.

"There is no information at this point to say either or at this point," said Sheriff Chody.

According to state records, the daycare is run by Sonia Howe.  

She filed with the state in 2012 and is allowed to only have three unrelated children in her care. The site is not required to be inspected and  a check of her compliance record found no complaints.

Throughout the morning, at least three sets of parents arrive at the scene to pick up their kids. It is not known if the infant that died in the daycare is related to Sonia Howe or if the child belongs to a client.

Janet Koschmann, who got her daughter, says she was called by Howe to get her child. "She is a fantastic daycare provider, its going to be a sad loss," said Koschmann who added she has had no problems at the daycare. 

Justice of the Peace Bill Gravell ordered the area around the home to be sealed off -- reporters were told it was done to provide the daycare operator and her family privacy from the media and residents who had gathered along the sidewalk.

The day care death at the Truman Cove home comes less than a month after a Georgetown daycare operator was sentenced to twenty years following the death of  a 5-month-old in her care. Holly Harrison was faulted for not calling for help in a timely manner and for having more children in her home than what the state allowed.