Aliyah Henderson, 28, was charged with two counts of aggravated murder after the bodies of her two young daughters, Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson, were found buried inside suitcases in a Cleveland park. The girls' remains were discovered by a dog walker who noticed his pet acting strangely near a mound of dirt.
Key Takeaways
Aliyah Henderson, 28, has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder after her daughters' bodies were found buried in suitcases in a Cleveland park. Mila Chatman would have turned eight this year, while Amor Wilson was ten years old at the time of their deaths. A third child is now under the care of child welfare services.
- Aliyah Henderson charged with two counts of aggravated murder
- Bodies of daughters found buried inside suitcases in Cleveland park
- Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson identified through DNA relationship testing
- Bail set at $2 million for Henderson, who has no prior criminal record
The suitcases were found about 25 feet apart near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue close to Ginn Academy. Mila's father, DeShaun Chatman, had been searching for his daughter for five years and pursuing custody through child welfare agencies without success. He last saw Mila in 2020 when she was three years old.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the identities of the girls through DNA relationship testing, stating that Mila would have been eight years old and her half-sister Amor ten. A child in good health was found inside Henderson’s home and placed under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services.
Chatman described his daughter as 'happy-go-lucky, always smiling,' but authorities have not yet disclosed how the girls died. Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd called the situation 'a terrible, tragic tragedy.' A judge set bail at $2 million for Henderson during a brief court appearance where she said little.
Prosecutors noted that Henderson has no prior criminal record and her public defender mentioned she had been looking for a job. It remains unclear who will represent Henderson going forward as Cullen Sweeney, the chief public defender in Cuyahoga County, declined to comment on the case after the hearing.
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