DUQUESNE, Pa. – A 26-year-old mother in Pennsylvania has been arrested for allegedly killing her 3-month-old son, beating the child to death and then blaming the fatal injuries on her 3-year-old daughter, claiming the toddler was jealous of the newborn.
Alisha Parker was taken into custody on Sunday and charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Allegheny County Police Department.
Authorities responded to a report of an unresponsive male infant in Duquesne early Sunday morning. First responders performed CPR on the victim, who was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Parker initially told police that her toddler daughter was responsible for inflicting fatal injuries on the infant and urged authorities to investigate the child. However, an affidavit obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed inconsistencies in Parker’s account.
According to the affidavit, Parker and her two children had recently moved in with Parker’s cousin and her 18-month-old child. The cousin stated that she left the house around 5 p.m. on the day of the incident, calling Parker several times to check on her young child. When she returned home at approximately 1 a.m., the cousin noticed Parker vomiting and sensed something was wrong.
Upon searching for the infant, the cousin discovered the child not breathing and unresponsive between his older sister and a wall air-conditioning unit. Parker later admitted that she suspected her daughter had harmed the infant.
An autopsy performed by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the child’s injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma to the head. The report concluded that the injuries were inflicted by an adult, ruling out the possibility that the 3-year-old was responsible.
Parker is currently being held without bond at the Allegheny County Jail, awaiting her arraignment.