RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Richmond officials say a 2-year-old who police believe was killed by her stepmother died from dehydration.
News media outlets quote the medical examiner’s office as saying that it ruled Ariellisa Simmons’ death as homicide by dehydration. The office released the results of the autopsy Tuesday.
Police say Ariellisa’s body was found on Jan. 16 in an unoccupied apartment.
Her stepmother, 35-year-old Andrea Watkins-Simmons, was indicted by a grand jury last week on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder and child neglect.
Watkins-Simmons was reported missing in November and police said at the time that they believed Ariellisa was with her.
Police say Watkins-Simmons was arrested in New York in late January on a charge of felony abduction and was returned to Virginia last week.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
