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November 1, 2007

Father charged with suffocating infant daughter

By BOB GIBBINS

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — Cherokee County prosecutors have charged a father with the Sept. 15, 2006, suffocation death of his 2-month-old daughter.

Authorities are looking for Mathew Ryan Guthrie, who will be 26 Friday. Guthrie was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, and an arrest warrant orders him to be held without bond when apprehended.

Assistant District Attorney John David Luton said the DA's office may also file charges against the infant's mother, Brandy Hurta. Luton said Guthrie has confessed to killing the child.

A probable cause affidavit filed with the case states Guthrie, when interviewed by investigators last month, told authorities he and Hurta agreed they didn't need the burden of a small child, and chose to kill their daughter.

Hurta was in the room when Guthrie placed a couch cushion on the infant's chest as she lay on her back in her playpen.

Authorities and medical personnel initially believed the baby's death was due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Guthrie and Hurta called 911 from their home in the Stick Ross Mountain area after the child stopped breathing. An ambulance transported her to Tahlequah City Hospital.

The medical examiner also ruled the death was due to SIDS. However, Luton said the medical examiner has indicated a suffocation death of this type can appear similar to a SIDS death.

Luton confirmed the ME has changed the cause of the child's death to homicide, based on Guthrie's admission.

The affidavit states Lester Awalt, an acquaintance of Guthrie's and Hurta's, told authorities he received third-party information that Guthrie had suffocated the baby. Awalt was in custody in Arkansas at the time he was interviewed by investigators.

Hurta never reported the incident to the Department of Human Services or law enforcement.

First-degree murder is punishable by death, life in prison without parole or life with the possibility of parole.

Anyone knowing Guthrie's whereabouts should contact Chennault at the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office or the OSBI.

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