Harford County woman accused of killing her baby denied bail

BALTIMORE -- A Harford County judge ordered a woman accused of killing her baby girl to remain in jail without bail.

Maya Dennis, 32, has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of her 5 1/2-month-old daughter.

Dennis's daughter died New Year's Eve after suffering from a number of life-threatening injuries, including skull fractures and brain bleeds.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office was first alerted to the infant's injuries on December 29, while she was still in the hospital.

What happened in court

Before reading his decision, Harford County District Court Judge David E. Carey called the whole situation an "extreme tragedy." The judge also said Dennis was a danger to the public.

In her defense, Sawyer Hicks -- an assistant public defender from the Maryland Office of the Public Defender -- said Dennis is a lifelong state resident and that she had no prior or serious convictions.

He also argued there was one other person at her apartment when her daughter's deadly injuries happened.

Christina Cuomo, the Special Victims Unit Chief with the Harford County State's Attorney's Office, argued the injuries were not accidental.

Cuomo also said the child had only been released from the NICU at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore less than a week before she died -- adding the victim was likely released with no injuries.

While Dennis has no prior convictions, Cuomo said Dennis has a theft charge that's scheduled for trial in March.

Cuomo said it's likely Dennis will be indicted in her case with her daughter.

What charging documents reveal

When detectives questioned Dennis about her daughter's injuries, she reportedly told police that "one of her children was running in the home and accidentally fell on the victim," according to charging documents obtained by WJZ.

Charging documents also went into more detail of the victim's injuries, which said the victim also had bruising on her eyes.

When detectives asked about that, according to charging documents, Dennis said the bruising was "caused by medication that the victim was taking."

Search warrants were served on Dennis's two phones, as detectives found text messages saying that Dennis claimed the injuries were from the child's stay in the NICU.

A man was seen entering Dennis's apartment for nearly an hour before the child was taken to the hospital.

When interviewing Dennis and the man, neither said she had contact with the child, according to charging documents.