JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Jackson police arrested a mother and an aunt in connection to the death of an infant .
Deputy Chief Sequerna Banks said investigators responded to the 2300 block of Forest Avenue around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 24. They received a call about a deceased infant.
When officers arrived at the location, the infant’s mother stated she took the one-year-old girl to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) because the child was unresponsive. The infant was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
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According to Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, the coroner determined the child had possibly been deceased for 10 hours. He also said there were signs of trauma.
Throughout the investigation, Banks said two suspects were arrested and charged with felony child neglect. The suspects were identified as 28-year-old Lagayla Haynes and 23-year-old Samara Smith.
Wade said Haynes is the child’s mother, and Smith is the child’s aunt.