An Idaho mother and father were arrested after their 12-day-old baby was found dead in December, with investigators alleging the couple tried to pass off the death as sudden infant death syndrome and moved the child’s body between residences, according to police and court filings. Officers say the case began around 3:32 a.m. on Dec. 16, when a 911 call led them to a home on the 300 block of Lone Star Road.
Detectives said the death likely occurred inside a separate trailer described as “filthy,” and that the parents later tried to create a different scene at a nearby house before calling for help. The suspects — identified in court records as Brian Lemke, 31, and Allysen Armenta, 28 — face counts including felony injury to a child, concealment or destruction of evidence, and failing to report or delaying reporting a death. Early investigative notes say the baby suffocated, though a final ruling rests with the coroner. The case has stirred strong reaction locally because of the child’s age, the condition of the residence described by officers, and the allegation that the couple lied to authorities in the immediate aftermath.
When police arrived after the early-morning call, they contacted Lemke at the house address listed on Lone Star Road. He initially claimed he found the infant unresponsive in a bassinet, according to a sworn statement. Investigators said his account shifted, with Lemke later telling officers the child died in the trailer and saying the mother may have rolled onto the baby while sleeping. Armenta was not present when officers first arrived but spoke with detectives later, records say. “What did I do,” Lemke allegedly texted Armenta after the death. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened, but it be my fault. Are they saying SIDS?” Police wrote that the pair texted for a period after discovering the child unresponsive rather than immediately calling 911. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene; the precise time of death has not been publicly released.
Investigators described the trailer where they believe the death occurred as cluttered and unsanitary, with trash, food, dirt, cigarettes and animal feces throughout. Officers photographed the sleeping area and collected bedding while crime-scene specialists documented footprints and possible transfer stains. Detectives also seized both parents’ phones under warrant to preserve messages and location data. Court documents state the couple moved the baby from the trailer to the house before contacting authorities, a sequence police say was intended to mislead first responders. The department said no other children were inside the trailer at the time officers arrived, and no injuries to other people were reported. The name and sex of the newborn were not released by officials handling the investigation.
Records reviewed by local outlets indicate the parents previously drew attention from child-welfare authorities over hazardous living conditions. Police did not say whether prior cases involved the same address or how long the family had been using the trailer. The Lone Star Road house sits in a mixed residential corridor with small lots and outbuildings, and several properties have auxiliary structures or parked trailers. Detectives canvassed neighbors for overnight camera footage and asked about noise or vehicle traffic in the hours before the call. Officers documented the distance between the two locations and sought surveillance video from businesses along the route that might show movements linked to the child’s body being relocated.
The charges reflect a two-track case: potential criminal liability for the infant’s death and alleged efforts to hinder the investigation. Felony injury to a child in Idaho can cover conduct that willfully causes or permits a child to be placed in a situation likely to produce great bodily harm or death. Evidence-tampering and failure-to-report counts can be filed when investigators believe a death scene was altered and notifications were delayed. Investigators said it remains unknown who, if anyone, rolled onto the child or otherwise directly caused the suffocation. The coroner’s findings, including any toxicology for adults or environmental testing at the trailer, will be used to determine whether additional or different charges are warranted.
Detectives are building a minute-by-minute timeline using phone extractions, call logs and interviews. The stated focus includes when the baby was last seen alive, how long the child was in the sleeping position described by the parents, and the duration between discovery and the first 911 call. Officers also requested social services records under court order to understand prior agency contacts with the family. A mechanical crib inspection and measurements of the sleeping surface were logged to compare with statements that the child had been placed in a bassinet. Police said they are still testing fabric from the trailer and reviewing whether airflow in the sleeping area was impeded by pillows, blankets or adult bodies, as alleged in one account.
The trailer’s condition, as described by investigators, raised broader questions for neighbors about oversight and living arrangements along the block. Several residents reported seeing patrol cars and a crime-scene van return to the area on multiple days as the department executed follow-up warrants. One nearby business owner said officers asked to review exterior camera angles that might capture vehicle movement between the trailer and the house. Property records list multiple owners and long-term renters on the street, and the trailer appeared to be parked behind a fence near an outbuilding. Officers did not release the exact space number or lot location, citing continued evidence collection and the need to keep potential witnesses from disturbing the area.
Court filings say both parents were booked into the Canyon County jail after interviews with detectives. A judge set initial appearance dates and noted that additional counts could be added once the coroner’s report is complete. The couple’s bond status was not immediately available, and it’s unknown whether either had retained an attorney for upcoming hearings. Standard discovery in such cases includes body-camera video, photographs, and digital-forensic reports. Prosecutors typically evaluate whether to present the case to a grand jury or proceed through a preliminary hearing in magistrate court to establish probable cause.
Officials emphasized that the infant’s cause and manner of death will be determined by the county coroner. While investigators repeatedly referenced suffocation as the working theory, they cautioned that only the autopsy can confirm whether airway obstruction, overlay during co-sleeping, or another mechanism occurred. The department did not disclose whether the trailer contained a safe sleep space that met pediatric guidelines or whether power or heat levels were measured that night. Detectives said there were no indications of an intruder or third-party involvement and that the investigation remains centered on the two adults’ actions before and after the death.
As the week progressed after the Dec. 16 call, police executed additional warrants for digital accounts associated with both suspects, including messaging apps and cloud backups. Investigators also sought store receipts and surveillance to determine if any cleanup supplies were purchased in the hours after the baby was found unresponsive. Officers obtained vehicle GPS pings where available and asked ride-share companies to confirm whether either adult requested transportation off-site during the relevant time window. The department said any future charging decisions will track the final autopsy and the totality of the evidence regarding staging and delay in reporting.
By early January, the case had moved into a more formal posture with filings outlining the alleged staging and the trailer’s condition. Community reaction included calls to ensure thorough review of prior welfare contacts and better coordination among agencies when unsafe housing is documented. Authorities said those broader questions fall outside the current criminal process but could be addressed in parallel by social services. For now, detectives remain focused on the precise sequence inside the trailer and at the house, the authenticity and timing of the parents’ messages, and any forensic traces that tie the scene to the accounts provided.
As of Friday, Lemke and Armenta remained charged in Canyon County as investigators awaited coroner results and completed interviews. Additional updates are expected after the autopsy findings are released and once prosecutors determine whether to amend the complaint or seek an indictment. The department said it will provide notice of any scheduled hearings and public records releases tied to body-camera footage and reports.
Author note: Last updated February 7, 2026.