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Iowa father of suffocated infant gets 2 years of probation

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March 29th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Ankeny man whose baby died after becoming wedged between a mattress and a wall has been given two years of probation. Court records say Matthew Cohara also was fined $625 and granted a deferred judgment at his hearing Tuesday. A deferred judgment allows his conviction to be removed from court records if he completes his probation terms. Cohara had pleaded guilty to child endangerment and other crimes.

Police were called to the Ankeny home of Cohara and Michelle Atwell on Aug. 26 after the 7-month-old baby was found not breathing. Police say the baby became wedged and suffocated after Atwell left her on the bed for hours after breast-feeding her. An autopsy found a cocaine byproduct in the baby’s system. Atwell’s trial is set to begin April 30.