INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Kristina Gensheimer, 35, was sentenced to 910 days in prison for neglecting her 4-month-old daughter, Emma, who was found unresponsive in the family’s home on August 25, 2024. With time served and a suspended portion of her sentence, Gensheimer will serve only 40 additional days.
Incident Details
Emergency personnel and police responded to a Congress Avenue home in Indianapolis after receiving a call about an unresponsive infant. Emma was found on the bedroom floor with no signs of life and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Authorities noted the infant had a soiled diaper but no external injuries other than a severe diaper rash.
Investigation and Contributing Factors
The autopsy determined that Emma died from “sudden unexplained death of an infant,” influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as co-sleeping with her mother and falling from an adult-size bed. Gensheimer admitted that Emma had been sleeping in bed with her rather than in a bassinet in the weeks prior.
Authorities also reported that Gensheimer had a history of substance use, including heroin, methamphetamine, and nicotine vaping during pregnancy, which contributed to the infant being born prematurely and experiencing withdrawal symptoms…