A Southfield woman has been slammed with murder and child abuse charges after a toddler died from severe blunt-force trauma. Iesha Marie Harris, 30, stands accused of felonious actions that led to the death of 3-year-old Harmoni Henderson.
Harmoni, the daughter of Harris's friend Paris England, was allegedly left alone for three hours while Harris smoked marijuana. In the fit of rage that followed her discovery of the child's vomit, Harris purportedly poured scalding water on Harmoni and slammed the girl's head against the bathtub, as Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Douglas stated, according to ClickOnDetroit. England was misled to believe Harmoni fell down the stairs but later found her unresponsive and rushed her to a hospital where the child was pronounced dead.
Harris was denied bond and is set to return to court on March 27, ClickOnDetroit reported. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has revealed that more comprehensive details of the incident would be presented at Harris's preliminary examination scheduled for April 1, as stated in an article by The Detroit News.
As the community reels from the tragedy, Harris faces the legal consequences of her alleged actions. A probable cause conference is slated for March 27, and her preliminary examination is set for April 1 before Judge Kenneth King, where the case is expected to unfold further. "I want people to know my baby’s life mattered," England told ClickOnDetroit in their interview. Meanwhile, Harris remains incarcerated, waiting for the court to decide her fate in the wake of a tragedy that has left a family and community in grief.
The Detroit Police Department's statement given to WWJ Newsradio 950 clarified that the autopsy confirmed Harmoni's death was due to blunt force trauma. The young girl was transported privately to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, escalating the gravity of Harris’s charges and the sorrow encompassing this lamentable event.
