A closer look at baby Travis, Samson’s death investigations

Published: Oct. 21, 2022 at 6:39 PM EDT
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re continuing to follow the suspicious death investigation after a 6-month-old child died at the hospital on Tuesday.

The autopsy for Samson Scott was scheduled for Friday. We’re learning more information about this case and the investigation into the death of Samson’s older brother Travis.

The boys’ parents were charged in both cases but had them dropped in Travis’s case. But what’s different?

According to the documents, Salena and Tyrone Scott’s first son was born 24 weeks early on Jan. 7 of 2020, with a lung disease.

Tyrone Scott and Salena Tyler
Tyrone Scott and Salena Tyler(Contributed)

He would need a tracheotomy, a feeding tube, and a ventilator to survive. That’s when the issues began.

The Richmond County coroner’s investigative report says when Travis was released from the hospital after birth on Aug. 4, his parents brought him back to the ER on five separate occasions.

Anywhere from his feeding tube being out to abnormal vitals. The parents took Travis home against medical advice. Salena itted to this because she did not agree with the care given.

On Oct. 24, Travis was left unattended in the residence and not attached to the ventilator while his parents were outside the home building a fire pit.

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He was later found unresponsive and blue by his parents and then resuscitated by EMS.

Both parents were told and shown how to properly use the ventilator and change Travis’ tube. Salena stated several times that Travis would take the trach tube off and use his finger to “trick” the machine into thinking it was connected so the alarm would not sound.

The nurses found that a one-year-old would not know how to do this, and it was impossible to cover the entire tube with his tiny finger. The social worker has multiple reports of the parents stating they would turn the ventilator off because Travis would sleep better.

They were reminded that even though Travis may look okay, internally, it was affecting the oxygen flow to his brain. Numerous nurses said that the home was dark and damp. Pictures show a mess, unorganized, clothing and dishes in piles.

The mother, Salena, was “unmotivated” to de-clutter the home.

They would later refuse to return to the residence because of how bad it was and on Feb. 22 of 2021, a report says Travis was found unresponsive by his parents.

His cause of death was hypoxic brain injury from lack of oxygen. And his parents say that he had pulled the plug. The alarm... silent. After reviewing with DFACS and medical personnel that there was neglect in the home and going back and forth on whether he could have pulled the plug, his parents were charged with first-degree murder and cruelty to children in the first degree.

Charges were dismissed due to a lack of evidence 18 days before their second son would take his final breath in the home.

Reports say Samson was exposed to narcotics, sharp objects, roaches, and more.

Begging the question, would Samson Scott still be alive if the parents were tried in court for the death of Travis?