John Jefferson
Inset: Maya Dennis (Harford County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The street Dennis lives on in Aberdeen, Maryland (Google Maps).
A Maryland mother was recently arrested and charged in connection with her infant daughter’s death, authorities say.
Maya Marie-Iman Dennis, 32, stands accused of one count of each of murder in the first degree and first-degree child abuse, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
The extremely young victim in the case has been identified as a five-and-a-half-month-old baby girl, Old Line State law enforcement say.
The investigation began while the child was still alive, on Dec. 29, according to a press release issued by the sheriff’s office.
On that day, deputies were called by Child Protective Services who were themselves investigating an incident at Johns Hopkins Pediatric Trauma Center.
Child welfare authorities suspected child abuse was responsible for the vast array of severe injuries sustained by the child and reached out to the investigators, the sheriff’s office said.
“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.
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The investigation progressed apace.
Detectives requested, received, and executed a warrant to search the Dennis family’s residence on Mayberry Drive in Aberdeen – a small city located some 30 miles northwest of Baltimore.
At first, the picture seemed muddled or incongruous.
“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.
But, law enforcement claim, the signs eventually pointed one way.
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The defendant was allegedly the lone adult responsible for the child’s care and custody at the time the injuries are believed to have occurred, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities did not say, however, when, exactly, the girl’s injuries are thought to have occurred. No motive or explanation for how the injuries occurred has been revealed either, as of this writing. The infant’s name also has yet to be released.
While the investigation progressed, the case took a turn.
“As the detectives continued searching for answers, the infant girl died from her injuries,” the press release explains.
Authorities say the accused mother later made “statements indicating she was responsible for the now fatal injuries.”
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The defendant was arrested at the same hospital where her child was being treated on New Year’s Eve without incident.
Dennis is currently being detained in the Harford County Detention Center. She is slated for a bail and/or bond review on Jan. 2, court records show. A preliminary hearing also is scheduled for Jan. 30.
The investigation is said to be ongoing.
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