A Colorado woman has been arrested for suspicion of child abuse after lying to officers about the whereabouts of her missing five-year-old daughter who was later found dead in her apartment, Denver News 9 reported.
Aurora Police Chief Art Acevedo told the local station they believe to have discovered the remains of 5-year-old Maha Li Hobbs who was reported missing Tuesday. Acevedo said investigators are still waiting on positive identification of the remains by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.
“We believe we actually found, remains we believe to be that of a young child,”
said Acevedo.
The suspect, 27-year-old Alexus Tanielle Nelson is the mother of the child. Police say they received several reports from numerous family members of Nelson regarding concerns about the toddler. Around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aurora police received a call from the child’s maternal grandmother who lives in Georgia. She expressed that her daughter, Nelson, had been sending her
“concerning statements by text,”
said Acevedo.
Officers performed a welfare check at Nelson’s apartment Tuesday but when officers arrived she told them that she gave her daughter up for adoption. Investigators reportedly found no records of the adoption. Nelson was arrested for
“attempting to influence a public servant,”
reports reveal.
Acevedo said due to Nelson’s false statements they were able to obtain a warrant on the apartment to search for the child.
“Anytime that you hear these cases involving little children, I know it impacts our investigators and I know it impacts our community,”
he said.
“Our hearts go out to the family… Think about this grandma — she’s just losing a grandchild and a daughter as well. Grandma did the right thing and for that I’m grateful.”
Nelson faces charges of
“child abuse resulting in death, tampering with a deceased human body, and tampering with physical evidence.”
She is being held on $100,000 bail, reports note.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
