FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Thursday, prosecutors called a Department of Human Resources investigator who testified that the sleeping set-up for 4-month-old Autumn Wells did not meet state standards and that Payton Gann was a certified state caregiver.
The DHR employee testified that any child under the age of 12 months must be laid on their back, flat on a mattress in a crib, with no pillows or blankets. The employee told the jury that Gann’s way of laying baby Autumn facedown on a boppy pillow on March 9, 2022, violated state care standards.
She also testified that Gann’s DHR file shows that she completed the state-required childcare training of 21 and a half hours. She said the training is focused on baby health, safety and sleep requirements.
Red Bay Police Investigator Kyle Dover also testified for the prosecution. He showed several text messages from before and after March 9, the day that Autumn died.
One of the text threads was an exchange between Autumn’s mother, Taylor Wells and Gann.
Gann texted the baby’s mother the day after Autumn died, saying:
“We loved autumn as if she was our own. If there is anything we can do, let us know.”
Prosecutors then asked the investigator if that message was sent by Gann, knowing she was not telling the truth about what happened.
The investigator agreed, saying that Gann lied.
Closing arguments will take place at the Franklin County Courthouse at 9 a.m. on Friday. The jury will then be asked to decide Gann’s fate.
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