CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police announced that a 28-year-old mother has been arrested in connection with two young girls found dead in suitcases earlier this week and charged.
According to the Cleveland Division of Police, the woman, Aliyah Henderson, has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder. The girls have been identified as 8-year-old Mila Chatman and 10-year-old Amor Wilson, both of Cleveland.
According to Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer, Henderson is the mother of both children. The photo below was taken seven years ago when the paper did a story about ongoing health care coverage in Cleveland.
Police said detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in the area of East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue after canvassing the area, speaking to witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage.
RELATED: Person of interest identified and detained in connection to 2 girls found dead on East Side
A child was found inside the home and taken into the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services, police said.
Man says he's the father
In the cold rain on Thursday, Deshaun Chatman, who identified himself as the father of Mila Chatman, visited the site where the bodies were found and spoke with News 5’s John Kosich. Chatman said he had not had contact with his daughter for several years, but was working to gain custody. He said after hearing his daughter may have been killed, he called the tipline and made contact with a homicide detective."What I'm feeling is hate," Chatman told Kosich about the loss of the two young girls.
WATCH THAT INTERVIEW:
Chatman has organized a GoFundMe for his daughter's funeral expenses. CLICK HERE for more information.
Neighbor weighs in
News 5 Investigator Scott Noll spoke to Chatman and neighbor Dashay Crider on Thursday, who shared a duplex with Henderson and the children. Both said they called Cuyahoga County’s Division of Child and Family Services with concerns about Henderson.
Crider said she had moved into the duplex on East 162nd Street at the same time Henderson did.
The neighbor, who has five children of her own, said she hadn’t seen Henderson’s children in more than a year.
WATCH:
“She never let her kids come outside to play,” said Crider. “Nobody, none of the kids engaged with those kids.”
Crider said she called protective services after she became concerned about erratic behavior by Henderson.
“She was acting out,” said Crider.
When asked if she had concerns about her neighbor’s mental health, Crider said, "Yes, 100%.”
In a statement, a Cuyahoga County spokesperson wrote, “Due to the active criminal investigation into these deaths as well as the confidentiality obligation of Ohio law, we are unable to disclose any further information at this time.”
'A grim discovery'
News 5 Investigator Sarah Buduson obtained body camera footage of the Cleveland Police officer responding to the park, where a man found one of the bodies.
WATCH:
'This has shocked our community'
“These were two young lives with their entire futures ahead of them,” said Chief Dorothy Todd. “Our detectives
worked tirelessly and with great care to identify those responsible. Investigations of this nature require patience, precision, and discretion. Unlike what is often portrayed on television, every detail cannot be shared publicly. Certain information must remain confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure justice for these victims. That careful and methodical work allowed our detectives to develop the evidence needed to make quick identification of a person of interest, ultimately resulting in an arrest.”
Mayor Justin Bibb has released the following statement about the arrest:
"I want to thank our homicide detectives and members of the Division of Police for their incredible work in this case. Their dedication and persistence led to a quick arrest in connection with the tragic deaths of two young children whose bodies were discovered earlier this week. This has shocked our community. We love and protect our young people, and the loss of these two children is unimaginable. Our hearts are with everyone who is grieving this tragedy."
What happened?
On Monday night, a man walking his dog near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue found a suitcase with human remains inside at Saranac Playground near Ginn Academy.
WATCH:
RELATED: Bodies found on East Side are 2 unidentified girls
Cleveland Police responded to the scene and determined a young girl was inside the suitcase, which was buried in a shallow grave. While collecting evidence, a second shallow grave was found with the other girl inside a suitcase.
On Tuesday, Cleveland Police held a news conference to discuss the case.
WATCH:
There were no missing children in the area who matched their descriptions, Todd said during the news conference.
Police are gathering information and surveillance footage from the area and have established a 24-hour response line for any tips. Anyone with information should call the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464.
The investigation is ongoing, and police said there was no indication of an ongoing threat to public safety.
