A smartphone user logs into his Facebook account in Rio de Janeiro
A smartphone user logs into his Facebook account in Rio de Janeiro April 15, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

A U.S. mother suffocated her baby son to death and posted photos of the corpse on Facebook.

Nicole Kelly posted the photo of her 11-month baby Kiam Felin Jr. on Facebook with a title "RIP Rinkabutt." She also admitted on the social networking Web site that she had "failed" to protect her child. The 22-year-old mother from New York has now been charged with second degree murder.

Little Kiam was declared dead after he was taken to hospital on Sunday, July 6. Kelly and Kiam Felin Sr. (the father of her child), who live separately, took Kiam to Elmhurst Hospital after the mother had left the baby alone for half an hour to die. According to one of the neighbours, when Kiam Sr. arrived at Kelly's house, there was a lot of shouting. The father was, however, not charged for any offence. The neighbour apparently overheard him shouting that the baby was not breathing.

According to officials, Kelly put a sheet over the face of her baby and tucked little Kiam into bed. Even though she saw him struggle under the sheet, she kept him like that for the next half an hour. She left him alone and came back later only to find him dead. Little Kiam who was full of life minutes ago was "blue and unresponsive."

It is speculated that the photo she posted on Facebook actually featured the corpse of her baby as it was wearing the same dress when it was killed. Kelly left a message on Facebook along with the photo she shared. "Missing my baby boy so much wish there was some way I could bring him back to life," she wrote. "I feel horrible knowing he passed away Am his Mother I was supposed to protect him I know his spirit will always be around me."

Kelly earlier complained on Facebook that her baby was getting more difficult to manage as he was becoming more active.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au