On Tuesday, October 16th, 2018, at approximately 3:30 P.M., Officers from the Redding Police Department were dispatched to Mercy Medical Center regarding an 11-month-old boy who had been admitted to the hospital with seizures and appeared to have a serious head injury. The child’s condition worsened and he was transported via life-flight to U.C. Davis Medical Center for further treatment.
Officers contacted the parents of the child, later identified as 25 year old Brittney Marie Coffelt and 33 year old Clyde Dale Coffelt, both of Redding. Officers learned the Coffelt family, which included two children, lived at 2727 Lanning Avenue, apartment #A in Redding. The 11-month-old victim had been transported via ambulance from this location earlier in the day at approximately 11:15 A.M., due to reported seizures.
During contacts with police regarding the injury to their son, both parents made suspicious and inconsistent statements.
The Coffelt’s second child, a two-year-old boy, was taken into protective custody and turned over to the care of Shasta County Child Family Services.
The Coffelt family came to Redding via Oklahoma, arriving two days before the birth of their two-year-old child. Between both parents the Coffelts have 8 children, all of which have been taken into protective custody over a period of time spanning several years in multiple states.
Redding Police Department Investigators executed a search warrant at the Lanning Avenue residence on Wednesday, October 17th, at approximately 6:15 P.M. Investigators found the apartment teeming with cockroaches and the living conditions were deplorable. Evidence was collected from the apartment regarding the injury to the 11-month-old.
The victim’s condition continued to decline at U.C. Davis and he was placed on life support. He was declared officially deceased at approximately 9:30 P.M. on October 18th, 2018.
An autopsy was conducted on October 23rd, 2018 in Sacramento County. The results of the autopsy are pending and a cause of death has not been released. It may be some time before final autopsy results are available.
Investigators are continuing to gather information and contact witnesses. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Redding Police Department at (530)225-4200.
A picture of the front door to the Coffelt residence at 2727 Lanning #A has been attached to this release.
