Authorities in Louisiana say a woman is facing criminal charges of second-degree murder related to the death of her young daughter earlier this month.
According to KALB, 24-year-old Jasmine Anderson was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly bringing her unresponsive 5-year-old child to a hospital in the Alexandria area.
Local police began an investigation upon arriving at Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital on the afternoon of July 17, at which time Anderson allegedly told them that she and daughter Audrey Chelette were involved in a traffic collision. The crash caused the girl to hit her head and neck on a passenger window, the mother reportedly claimed.
Police reports indicate the responding officer gathered evidence including photos of the woman’s van and later determined the girl’s fatal injuries were not consistent with the type of crash her mother described.
Reports show that the suspect’s 4-year-old son also died this year. Officers responding to that case stated that the woman claimed “she woke up and went to the bathroom, and that is when she observed (name redacted) on the floor not breathing.”
That child died two days after arriving at a hospital. The father of both the boy and girl reportedly died three years ago.
Police Chief Jerrod King expressed gratitude for the police work that led to Anderson’s arrest, as reported by Town Talk.
“The wrongful death of a child is a horrible thing to see, and these men and women have maintained their professionalism and pursued the case with their customary diligence,” he said.
In light of the most recent allegations, police responded to reporters questions about the other child’s death, confirming they are aware of the case, “however, it would be premature to link this case to previous cases while it is still under investigation.”
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[Featured image: Jasmine Anderson, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office]
