Harford County, MD – A mother from Maryland has been taken into custody and faces charges related to the death of her infant daughter, according to officials.
Maya Marie-Iman Dennis, 32, faces serious charges including one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree child abuse, as reported by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities have confirmed that the victim in this tragic case is a five-and-a-half-month-old baby girl, according to law enforcement from the Old Line State.
According to a press release from the sheriff’s office, the investigation commenced while the child was still alive, on December 29.
On that day, law enforcement received a call from Child Protective Services, who were conducting their own investigation at Johns Hopkins Pediatric Trauma Center.
Authorities in charge of child welfare believed that the extensive and serious injuries suffered by the child were due to abuse, prompting them to contact investigators, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Upon meeting with medical staff, Detectives learned that the baby had been brought to the hospital, by ambulance, presenting with multiple skull fractures, brain bleeds, a fractured leg, and numerous other life-threatening injuries,” according to the press release.
Authorities sought and obtained a warrant to conduct a search at the Dennis family’s home on Mayberry Drive in Aberdeen, a quaint city situated approximately 30 miles northwest of Baltimore.
“Multiple interviews of potential witnesses and suspects were conducted resulting in inconsistent accounts of how the infant victim sustained her injuries,” the press release reads.
However, authorities assert that the evidence ultimately indicated a clear direction. The inquiry moved forward swiftly.
According to the sheriff’s office, the defendant was reportedly the only adult in charge of the child’s care and custody when the injuries are thought to have taken place.
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Officials have not disclosed the specific timing of when the girl’s injuries are believed to have taken place. As of now, there has been no disclosure regarding the motive or the circumstances surrounding the injuries. The name of the infant remains undisclosed at this time.
“As the detectives continued searching for answers, the infant girl died from her injuries,” the press release explains.
Officials report that the mother in question subsequently expressed “comments suggesting she was accountable for the injuries that have now proven fatal.”
The individual was taken into custody at the hospital where her child was receiving care on New Year’s Eve, and the arrest occurred without any complications.
Dennis is presently in custody at the Harford County Detention Center. Court records indicate that she is scheduled for a review of her bail and/or bond on January 2. A preliminary hearing is set to take place on January 30.
The inquiry is reportedly still in progress.