Mom of Alta Vista baby found dead might use intoxication defense

The mother of a baby whose lifeless body was found in an infant swing in their apartment in Alta Vista has told a northeast Iowa court that she may use as a trial defense diminished responsibility or intoxication.

The attorney for Cheyanne Renae Harris filed the notice Thursday in Black Hawk County District Court. She is also seeking a trial delay.

The infant’s father, Zachary Koehn, has asked that his trial be moved out of Chickasaw County because of pretrial publicity. The prosecution has not resisted the motion.

Koehn, 28, and Cheyanne Renae Harris, 20, have pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and felony child endangerment resulting in death.

They are charged in the death of their 4-month-old son, Sterling Koehn, who was found dead in a baby swing on Aug. 30 in an apartment in Alta Vista after Koehn called 911, saying the boy was not responsive.

The two were arrested and charged on Oct. 25 after an investigation by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner.

A state medical examiner’s report said the child weighed less than 7 pounds and had not had a diaper change, a bath or been removed from the swing seat in more than a week. The examiner determined he died because of denial of critical care.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.