Infant's Mother Speaks Out After Child's Death

NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio -- The suspicious death of a child in Perry County has left some people wondering if the incident could have been prevented.

Aden Levering would have been 8 months old on Thursday. The boy's mother spoke with NBC 4's Erin Tate about the case.

"He was so chunky -- a little Butterball. He was my chunky monkey," said Sierra Milburn, Levering's mother.

After her son's suspicious death on Tuesday, Milburn said many people are pointing fingers.

"I'd never do this to my child," she said.

Milburn said that she and her boyfriend, Robert Shipley, were the last to care for Levering. No charges have been filed in the case yet, but Shipley was arrested on an unrelated warrant.

"He's never hurt Aden. He was good to him always," Milburn said.

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Still, Milburn said, there is a part of the story that someone isn't telling -- and police said they agree.

Investigators said they are waiting on a coroner's report before they can move forward.

"Right now, our focus is what happened in the last hours of Aden's life," said New Lexington Police Chief Jeffrey Newlon.

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Milburn said when she woke up, her baby was dead and her boyfriend was missing. The three had been staying at Shipley's sister's house in New Lexington.

"My heart goes out to him, and I pray to him every night," said Robin Shipley, Robert's sister.

Levering's paternal grandmother, Barbara Blosser, told NBC 4 that she repeatedly reported Milburn to children services for allegedly abusing the boy.

"I'm mostly frustrated with children services," she said.

The Perry County agency declined to comment on any prior investigations.

"Even if I couldn't take care of my son, I wouldn't murder him. I'd give him to someone who loved him and (could) give him a life," Milburn said.

Preliminary autopsy results are expected to be released on Friday.

Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.