Myleahya Woods (18 mos.) R.I.P.

Pensacola Baby Death
Published: Tue, October 13, 2009 - 9:28 pm CST
Last Updated: Tue, October 13, 2009 - 11:18 pm CST

PENSACOLA, Florida - And eighteen month old child is dead, her mother is in jail charged with manslaughter. It happened in a West Pensacola neighborhood just off Blue Angel Parkway. Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan says the 21 year old mother, Christian Rochelle Woods, told investigators she left her home Saturday to go to work in Mobile.
"Sadly, she left three minor children in her home unattended," says Morgan. The Sheriff says when she returned Monday morning, one of her children, 18 month old Myleahya Danielle Woods was dead. Investigators say the mother then tried to fabricate a story that her daughter was missing. She phoned relatives who responded to the house and picked up her two year old son, Jaterius Woods. And she called police. But when her story didn't add up, investigators asked more questions. She admitted to leaving the children alone. Myleahya's body was found in a trash can on the property.
Morgan said Woods admitted that one child had died. But she believed the other child, Myleahya's twin sister Mykayla, was still alive. Investigators searched the house and found the young girl. "They found the child underneath a bed in the bedroom, clinging to life," Morgan says. The Sheriff also said the investigators initially thought Mykayla was also dead. But when they moved her from beneath the bed, her eyes fluttered and she was immediately taken to the hospital where she is in intensive care.
Sheriff Morgan says the house the children were in had no power or running water. "We found that when she left these children in the home that there was approximately six cups of jello opened and left in the living room for these children to eat, with no water and no juice."
People who live in this West Pensacola neighborhood say they were shocked and saddened that this happened here. They said if the mother had asked for help with her children, they would have responded. Sam Potter lives directly across the street from the Woods' house.
"Somebody here would have fed those people if they needed it."
"It really shook me up," says Levitra Westley. "If you don't want kids, give them to somebody, don't just abuse them."
Sheriff Morgan said the two year old boy, Jaterius Woods, is also being treated for signs of abuse, malnutrition and dehydration. Christian Woods has been charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse and one count of manslaughter. She is expected to make her first court appearance on Wednesday.




WKRG.com News

http://www.wkrg.com/florida/article/pensacola-baby-death/440396/Oct-13-2009_11-18-pm/

Baby Found Dead in Trash Can


A mother of three toddlers was charged with manslaughter and abuse Tuesday after one child was found dead in a trash can outside the woman’s home.

Christian R. Woods, 21, is suspected of leaving her children home alone from 10 a.m. Saturday to 9:30 a.m. Monday. When Woods returned, she found Myleahya Woods, 1, dead and put her body in the trash, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said.

But it wasn’t until early Tuesday morning that investigators found Myleahya’s body and her twin sister, Mykayhla, barely alive under a bed at a home in the 5600 block of Scotland Circle, Sheriff David Morgan said.

(snipped)

http://pnj.com/article/20091013/NEWS...NTPAGECAROUSEL

Pensacola mom left 3 toddlers alone with only Jell-O; put 1 child in trash when she found her dead, police say.




A mother of three toddlers confessed that she found one of her 18-month-old twin daughters dead and put the baby's body in a trash can after leaving the children alone for two days, authorities said Tuesday.
Christian Rochelle Woods, 21, a single mother, left her children home alone from 10 a.m. Saturday to 9:30 a.m. Monday with only six cups of Jell-O in the living room, Sheriff David Morgan said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
When Woods returned, she found her daughter, Myleahya, dead and put her body in the trash can at her back door, Morgan said.
But it wasn't until about 3 a.m. Tuesday that investigators found Myleahya's body and her twin, Mykayhla, barely alive under a bed at a home in the 5600 block of Scotland Circle in Bellview.
Woods was charged Tuesday with manslaughter in the toddler's death. She was charged with aggravated child abuse due to neglect of Mykayhla, and her 2-year-old son, Jaterius.
"I was, obviously, shocked by the case itself," Morgan said.
Mykayhla and Jaterius were at Sacred Heart Hospital on Tuesday being treated for signs of neglect, including dehydration. Morgan said his officers have been told the children are expected to survive.
The siblings were left alone at a rental home that had no electricity or running water, Morgan said.
Jell-O cups were left in the living room for the children to eat while the mother was away, he said. There was no water or juice available.
Woods told investigators she was at work in Mobile, Morgan said. The sheriff said his office has not verified that she has a job there.
Woods' arrest report lists her as being unemployed.
Woods was being held without bond Tuesday at Escambia County Jail. Her first court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.
An autopsy was performed Tuesday on Myleahya, but the results were not available. A time of death has not been established, Morgan said.
Missing-child report
The story of the children began to unfold about 2:30 p.m Monday when their mother went to a Winn-Dixie and called the Sheriff's Office to report Myleahya was missing and possibly abducted, Morgan said.
She also called a grandparent and asked him to go to her home to get the other children. The grandfather found only the 2-year-old boy at the home, Morgan said.
Investigators went to the home but did not find the twin girls, according to an arrest report.
The investigators launched "an aggressive investigation" to find them, the report says.
Investigators questioned Woods for about 12 hours, and she gave conflicting stories about what happened to the children, Morgan said. She finally admitted that Myleahya was dead, and she thought Mykayhla was still alive, he said.
Investigators went to the home at about 3 a.m. Tuesday and found Myleahya in a trash can behind the home.
They found Mykayhla under a bed. They thought she was dead, too, until her eyes fluttered, Morgan said.
"I can tell you that there was jubilation in the room," the sheriff said.
Morgan said the home that the children were left in was in disarray.
"The home was filthy, and there were several roaches throughout the home," according to a Sheriff's Office arrest report.
The Department of Children and Families has visited the house in the past. There was a complaint of neglect filed concerning the boy, said Janice Thomas, circuit administrator for the Department of Children and Families.
Thomas could not provide details of the case, citing privacy laws. But she said the department did not recommend the child be removed from the house nor any court action.
Neighbors reactCrime scene unit investigators paraded in and out of Woods' empty home Tuesday afternoon.
The house stands out in the quiet Bellview neighborhood, with its thick, overgrown grass in a neighborhood of well-kept lawns. The blinds were cracked and broken and a paring knife was lying in the driveway.
On the front porch, there was an unopened box of 82 Parent's Choice diapers. There also was a tiny, red ladybug costume lying above a tiny tan lion costume.

http://blog.al.com/live/2009/10/florida_woman_charged_with_dea.html

Missing Pensacola Twins Found- One Dead- Mother Arrested

Myleaha and Mykayhla Woods, 18 months, were left alone with their brother Jaterius, 2, by their mother for the weekend in the family home. The home had no electricity or running water and the only food located on the floor of the kitchen in the home were 6 cups of jello.

Woods reported 2 of her children missing, and investigators were called to the scene as her story did not add up. She was in custody for 12 hours before she admitted one of the twin girls, Myleaha, was deceased and could be found in the trash can at the residence.

The surviving children, Mykayla and Jaterius Woods, have been admitted to the Hospital for treatment of pneumonia and malnutrition.

Woods myspace title “Lifes short so I live mine to tha fullest is set to private.

http://blinkoncrime.com/2009/10/13/missing-pensacola-twins-found-one-dead-mother-arrested/

Attorney: Child only weighed 11 pounds
Christina Leavenworth
Photojournalist: Eric Lowe

PENSACOLA, Fla. - New details are emerging in the case involving a mother accused of throwing her dead daughter in a trash can, and leaving her young children to fend for themselves. Authorities say the child found in the trash can weighed only 11 pounds.

Christian Woods stood up to a judge in video court. The state attorney's office is determined to keep her in jail.

She's accused of leaving her three children home alone without utilities for three days, and with nothing but Jello to eat.

Investigators say when Woods returned home, she found her 18-month-old baby Myleahya dead. Deputies later found the baby's body in a trash can.

That's why Assistant State Attorney John Molchan pushed for the $1 million bond that the judge approved.

"Well, I think that any person that demonstrates that type of behavior certainly has potential for not showing up in court, when they simply can't even take care of their own child," Molchan said.

The state attorney's office says it appears the baby starved to death. Myleahya weighed only 11 pounds when investigators found her. The other two children in the house survived, and are recovering in area hospitals.

Deputies say the home was filthy, and roaches were visible.

Myleahya's twin Mykayhla was found comatose under a bed. Their two-year-old brother Jaterius was found severely malnourished as well.

Molchan says there was other food in the house that wasn't given to the children.

"Initially there were indications that there was food in the house. That makes circumstances even more puzzling. The pantries were full, refrigerator was full," Molchan said.

Woods initially called deputies on Monday to report her three children missing or possibly abducted. She claimed that she had left them with family and friends while she was in Mobile working. When her stories didn't add up, deputies became suspicious of foul play.

It was only after admitting to what she had done, hours later, that deputies returned to the home to retrieve the toddler’s body from a trash can.

The state also says Woods has several family members in the area, who had no idea what was going on. They believe she could have had help taking care of the children, but she never asked for it.

Neighbors say that Woods had only lived there for a little over a year. Pablo Garcia lives next door.

"She was a real quiet person and the kids, we hardly ever saw the kids. The kids hardly ever came out and it's unusual because we have kids roaming around the yard and you would think they would want to come out and be with the kids too," said Garcia.

Charlotte Potter lives across the street, and never had a clue about the neglect.

"Whenever you would see her she would speak. She was soft spoken. One time I gave her a jump. Her car wouldn't start and she was very appreciative. You would never, ever suspect it," Potter said.

FOX10 News spoke to Myleahya's father off camera. He said it was a tragedy and he didn't want to comment on the sad situation.

The judge made it clear when he said if Woods is able to post bond, she's not allowed to see her children or have contact with anyone under the age of 18.

Woods next court date is November 6.

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/crime/attorney_child_only_weighed_11_pounds