Monongahela mother acquitted in infant son’s death suing for false arrest, malicious prosecution

Darian Helmantoler was found not guilty of causing her infant son’s death in 2023.

A Monongahela woman who was acquitted in the 2023 death of her infant son is suing the Washington County district attorney’s office, the county jail and Monongahela police for false arrest, malicious prosecution and cruel and unusual punishment.

Attorneys for Darian Helmantoler, 24, filed the federal lawsuit July 3 accusing county officials and investigators involved in her case of charging her with criminal homicide despite finding no evidence she killed her 12-day-old infant son, Asher, or that she negligently caused his death.

Helmantoler is suing Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh, First Assistant District Attorney Leslie Mylan, who prosecuted the case, Monongahela police Lt. Ryan Lenzi and Officer Brady Stallings in their individual capacities, as well as the district attorney’s office, Washington County, the City of Monongahela, its police department and the Washington County Correctional Facility.

Helmantoler was charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault following an investigation that started after first responders were called to her Chess Street apartment Sept. 12, 2023, for a 12-day-old baby not breathing.

She called 911 for help, and according to the criminal complaint, first responders found blood coming from the boy’s nose and injuries to his face and neck.

Helmantoler told police she allowed the infant to sleep in her bed while she fed him a bottle around 4 a.m., but she must have fallen asleep. The baby was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Suspecting foul play, Helmantoler was questioned at her apartment and then to the police station after the baby was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Distraught, Helmantoler repeatedly denied harming her baby and that she was going to kill herself.

“In the midst of this traumatic incident, Ms. Helmantoler was taken to the police station. Despite verbalizing clear suicidal ideations, Ms. Helmantoler was not offered any medical or mental health treatment. Instead, the defendants interrogated Ms. Helmantoler,” the lawsuit states.

Helmantoler repeatedly asked police for an update on her son, but the lawsuit states police falsely told her the hospital couldn’t tell them anything due to federal medical privacy laws.

“Ms. Helmantoler also asked the defendants if the hospital had told them what happened to (the baby) and the police said they did not know yet. The defendants ‘did not know yet’ because they charged Ms. Helmantoler for causing the death of (the baby) without an autopsy performed or a cause of death determined by any medical professional,” the lawsuit states.

Despite an autopsy by Dr. L. Rozin concluding the baby’s cause of death was Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the district attorney’s office decided to move forward with the prosecution of Helmantoler. A second opinion by Dr. Edward Mazuchowski determined the baby died of Unexplained Sudden Death.

Following a two-day trial in April, a Washington County jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before finding Helmantoler not guilty of all charges.

The lawsuit also accuses the Washington County Correctional Facility of mistreatment while she was incarcerated following the baby’s death from Sept. 12 to Sept. 27, 2023. She was on suicide watch for the first three to four days of being jailed.

While still dealing with post-partum issues from childbirth, Helmantoler claims she was reprimanded when she asked to use a bathroom, was told she could not pay for or receive any Tylenol for her pain and that she wasn’t seen by any medical staff until Sept. 26. The suit also claims Helmantoler’s mother was not allowed to visit her at the jail so she could sign the baby’s death certificate to allow for a proper burial.

“Eventually, it was signed, but at this point, (the baby) had to be cremated before burial because his body had been sitting too long at the funeral home. Ms. Helmantoler never saw her son again after he was taken by the EMTs to the hospital,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also claims Helmantoler’s Fourth and 14th Amendment rights were violated by securing search warrants for her apartment and electronic devices without probable cause that she caused her son’s death.

Helmantoler is requesting a jury trial and is seeking monetary and compensatory damages for mental distress and physical injuries as a result of her arrest, costs of defending herself against charges that lacked probable cause, along with the loss of past and future income.

When contacted Friday, Walsh said the lawsuit is “meritless.”

“The case was held for court and then motions by the defense to dismiss were denied by a trial judge twice,” Walsh said. “A trial court judge ruled there was enough evidence to go to a jury. As always, my office will protect children and seek justice for them.”