DUQUESNE, Pa. — A 26-year-old mother from Pennsylvania has been arrested and charged with the killing of her 3-month-old son, allegedly beating him to death and attempting to blame the fatal injuries on her 3-year-old daughter.
Alisha Parker was taken into custody on Sunday by the Allegheny County Police Department and now faces charges of criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of a child.
First responders were called to a residence in Duquesne early on Sunday morning after reports of an unresponsive male infant. Despite the efforts of CPR, the 3-month-old was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Initially, Parker told authorities that her toddler daughter was responsible for the fatal injuries sustained by the infant. However, an affidavit obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed inconsistencies in Parker’s account.
The affidavit detailed that Parker and her two children had recently moved in with her cousin and her 18-month-old child. Parker’s cousin reported leaving the house around 5 p.m. on the day of the incident but grew concerned after several unsuccessful attempts to contact Parker. Upon return at 1 a.m., the cousin found Parker vomiting and sensed something was amiss.
The search for the infant revealed the child located between his older sister and a wall air-conditioning unit, not breathing and unresponsive. Eventually, Parker admitted to suspecting her daughter of harming the baby.
An autopsy conducted by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the injuries inflicted on the child were consistent with blunt force trauma to the head. The report ruled out the 3-year-old as responsible, concluding that the injuries were inflicted by an adult.
Parker is currently being held at the Allegheny County Jail without bond, awaiting her arraignment.