A woman arrested in the death of her toddler in 2022 had a history of referrals to the Department of Human Services dating back to 2016, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette. 

Amber Comstock, 32, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death on Jan. 5. Officers responding to a 911 call found Comstock’s 14-month old son dead at his home on Nov. 16, 2022 the affidavit said. 

According to the affidavit, Comstock told police she found the toddler unresponsive after putting him down for a nap around 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, waiting until another person returned home before 911 was called. The affidavit said that officers found the home “cluttered” and that the baby’s sleeping area was next to a large dehydrator due to “plumbing issues in the home.” The affidavit said that officers also investigated the food available in the home for the toddler. 

The affidavit detailed several referral calls made to DHS in reference to Comstock and her children dating back to 2016. According to the court documents, a DHS referral reporting party said that Comstock’s other children had been put in placements out of state. 

Comstock’s last DHS referral was from September 17, 2021, due to “substance exposure to a newborn,” the affidavit said. The reporting party in the referral mentioned in the affidavit said that Comstock gave birth to the baby at home due to being concerned about her prior opiate usage being discovered by DHS. 

During an Oct. 20, 2021, assessment outlined in the affidavit, a medical social worker noted concerns with Comstock’s parenting abilities, including falling asleep with the child in her lap without her arms around him and not remembering how to clean the baby’s bottle. According to the affidavit, Comstock told the social worker she would “put her headphones on” when the baby cried. 

Comstock’s next court hearing in the 4th Judicial District is set for Feb. 8.