Monday, June 17, 2013
Mom Indicted In Death Of Infant Daughter
A Lawrence County Grand Jury has returned an indictment, charging a local woman with the crime of reckless homicide in the November death of her infant daughter.
Chassidy Jade Garland, age 25, was arrested by investigators with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department on Friday.
According to a press release issued through the department Monday, the charges were issued in the wake of an extensive investigation into the death of the three month girl.
The investigation was initiated after deputies were dispatched to Garland’s home on November 1, 2012, where dispatchers informed them, an infant had died.
The press release states, “Upon arrival investigators quickly noticed evidence that led them to believe this was more than an unexplained death.”
Officials said there was evidence of drug activity in the home. They allege that Garland had attempted to hide and destroy evidence. In addition, they report that statements given by witnesses who were present at the time of the baby’s death, contradicted the statement given by Garland.
Detectives reviewed evidence and witness statements for several weeks. Once they had obtained the results of a full examination from the State Medical Examiner’s office, they presented all evidence to the grand jury.
Garland was incarcerated at the Lawrence County Detention Center under a bond of $10,000, then released after posting bond. She has been scheduled an initial appearance in Lawrence County Circuit Court on July 8, 2013.
