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In Cleveland, a heart-wrenching discovery has led to the arrest of a mother accused of a horrific crime. On Thursday, Aliyah Henderson, 28, faced two counts of aggravated murder following the grim uncovering of her two daughters’ bodies, found concealed in suitcases.
The remains of young Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson were discovered after a dog walker stumbled upon the suitcases just four days prior, prompting a police investigation.
DeShaun Chatman, Mila’s father, expressed his devastation upon learning the tragic news. He had been tirelessly searching for his daughter and fighting for custody over the past five years, only to be informed by authorities late Wednesday of her demise.
Chatman recounted his relentless efforts to gain emergency custody and locate Mila through child welfare services, but his attempts were thwarted by his lack of knowledge regarding their whereabouts.
“It’s horrific beyond words,” Chatman lamented, revealing the painful irony that Mila had been living nearby, close to where their bodies were ultimately found. “I feel utterly helpless — I couldn’t protect my little girl,” he said.
Phone numbers linked to Henderson were no longer hers, and it was unclear if she was represented by a lawyer.
A police case report said the two suitcases were found about 25 feet (8 meters) apart in the field near Ginn Academy in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the names late Thursday and said DNA relationship testing helped identify them. The office said Mila would have been 8 years old and her half-sister Amor 10.
Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz said earlier Thursday that police detained Henderson on Wednesday evening after detectives completed initial interviews and examined evidence. A child, seemingly in good health, was located inside a house that investigators searched and placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, police said.
Chatman, a restaurant cook, said he and Henderson were not married but lived together for about a year after their daughter was born. He last saw Mila in 2020, when she was 3 years old.
“Mila was happy-go-lucky, always smiling,” Chatman said. “Favorite color was pink — she swore that she was a princess. She was always happy. She was a kid’s kid.”
He said authorities have not told him how the girls died.
“We are hoping to find answers,” Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd told reporters earlier this week. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”
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Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.