A 24-year-old woman from Schenectady, New York, has been apprehended and charged with second-degree murder following the tragic death of her 11-month-old daughter. The woman, identified as Persia Nelson, is accused of exhibiting depraved indifference, a charge that has sent shockwaves through the community.
The grim discovery of the infant’s body was made in a utility tunnel at a General Electric facility. The Schenectady Police Department was alerted to a female trespasser at the facility on a Saturday evening. The trespasser, later identified as Nelson, reported that she had misplaced her child. Despite immediate search efforts, the infant could not be found that night.
The situation took a turn for the worse the following morning when an Amber Alert was issued due to fears of a possible abduction. Later that day, the lifeless body of the 11-month-old girl was found in the same utility tunnel at the General Electric facility.
Schenectady County District Attorney Robert M. Carney provided further details about the tragic incident. He stated that the baby had been dropped from a height of approximately eight feet into standing water in the tunnel. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was exposure and hypothermia.
Nelson was subsequently taken into custody at the General Electric security building. During her arraignment, it was disclosed that she has another child, of whom she does not have custody. The motive behind this heart-wrenching crime remains unknown at this time.
The Schenectady Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Nelson, has yet to comment on the case. Meanwhile, the investigation continues as the community struggles to come to terms with the loss of such a young life.