Authorities in Tennessee have charged two babysitters with murder following the tragic death of a 1-year-old girl under their care. The child suffered from multiple skull fractures, brain bleed, and abdominal trauma, leading to this devastating outcome.
Officers rushed to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis in the early hours of Saturday morning, responding to a distressing situation involving baby Kali Moore who was experiencing cardiac arrest. Tragically, the girl passed away one hour later. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, medical professionals discovered skull and neck fractures as well as “massive bruising” on her back.
Dijon Smith, 34, and Kiya Moore, 21, were detained by the police after they started babysitting baby Kali around 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the affidavit.
Moore and Smith provided differing accounts and pointed fingers at each other following the reading of their Miranda rights, according to authorities. According to reports, Moore informed detectives that she left Kali alone with Smith, and upon her return, she found the girl to be “unresponsive.”
According to reports, she claimed that he refused to disclose what occurred and instructed her to say that she had fallen asleep with the girl when she accidentally fell off the bed and hit her head on the nightstand.
According to reports, Smith claims to have heard Kali crying in the backroom while Moore was allegedly yelling at her.
According to the police report, it was reported that Moore forcefully slammed Kali into various surfaces multiple times, including the floor, walls, and wooden furniture. He mentioned that he inquired about her activities, to which she responded with nothing, but mentioned that Kali’s excessive crying was irritating her. According to his account, upon entering the room, Moore came to a halt and he noticed that Kali was not responding.
Smith proceeded to administer CPR to Kali and applied cold water to her. Moore quickly contacted a family member to ensure the girl received prompt medical attention.
Upon examination, it was discovered that Kali had skull fractures, a brain bleed, a bruised kidney, high liver enzymes indicating abdominal trauma, and blood in the lungs. During the search of the residence on University Street, authorities discovered the absence of baby food and expressed concerns about the availability of a secure sleeping arrangement for Kali.
The incident left neighbors feeling quite disturbed as reported by Law&Crime.
According to family members, Moore is not Kali’s mother but is somehow related. They chose not to provide further information.
Moore and Smith are currently being held at the Shelby County Jail without bond, facing serious charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.