A Georgia couple, Miguel Badillo, 24, and Kiara Davis, 27, have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and child cruelty following the death of their 8-month-old daughter, Ellie. The couple was also charged with possession of drug-related objects. The charges were announced by local authorities after the infant was found suffocated, wedged between a couch cushion and mattress in a home described as squalid and infested with insects and animal feces.
On September 27, 2024, Columbus, Georgia, police officers responded to a call about a deceased infant at a residence on Rosemont Drive. The Special Victims Unit of the department conducted a search of the premises, revealing the hazardous conditions in which the child had been living. The infant had reportedly been placed on an angled mattress on a love seat, with no safety measures to prevent her from rolling off and becoming trapped.
The investigation into Ellie’s death led to the issuance of arrest warrants for Badillo and Davis on November 8, 2024. Both parents were taken into custody five days later. Further details about the circumstances surrounding the child’s death were revealed during a court hearing on November 15, 2024, which was covered by local media.
A responding officer testified about the appalling conditions inside the home during the court proceedings. The officer described the presence of unconfined animals, animal feces, insects in every room, and decaying food scattered throughout the house. Davis, who was home at the time of the incident, had reportedly left the infant alone while she stepped outside to converse with a friend. Badillo was not present at the time of his daughter’s death, but was charged due to his awareness of the unsafe conditions that allegedly led to Ellie’s death.
The court heard that both parents were fully aware of the living conditions and the sleeping arrangement for the child. An investigator explained that the infant had rolled off the mattress and became wedged between the mattress and the couch cushion, leading to her death by asphyxiation.
Despite the charges, the couple’s landlord, Howard Turner, defended them, stating that they were not cruel to their child. He expressed his belief that Ellie’s death was a tragic accident. Following the hearing, the case was transferred to Muscogee County Superior Court. Both Davis and Badillo remain in custody at the Muscogee County Jail, held without bond.