It's been nearly two months since a one-year-old baby died from alleged abuse. On Tuesday, suspect Tiffany Moore was arraigned and denied pre-trial release.
Moore appeared in court late Tuesday afternoon via Zoom, facing three charges. Judge Christopher Haenicke presided over the hearing, stating that Moore is charged of homicide felony murder, homicide murder in the second-degree, and first-degree child abuse.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Moore was responsible for taking care of Dajanae McClenton-Howard's one-year-old baby on October 28 at her apartment.
On that day, at around 2:48 p.m., Tyrone Sheppard informed the police that he was on FaceTime with Moore. Sheppard claimed that Moore was holding the baby, who appeared to be fine. Court documents state that Sheppard later picked up Moore and the baby, who was wrapped in a blanket and appeared to be sleeping.
Upon returning the two to McClenton-Howard's apartment, she noticed that the baby had a swollen face, a bleeding nose, and was no longer wearing her pajamas. The baby's pajamas were found inside the apartment with blood on them, indicating that she had been injured and taken out of them before being wrapped in the blanket.
When McClenton-Howard took the baby to the hospital, she was unresponsive.
Moore told the police that the baby was not injured when she returned her to McClenton-Howard. However, the affidavit reveals that the baby's injuries are consistent with abuse and that she died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso.
Moore is expected to appear in court again for a probable cause hearing on January 2nd.
