Ohio mom accused of decapitating 3-month-old daughter
CINCINNATI - An Ohio woman accused of decapitating her 3-month-old daughter had been ordered by a court to stay away from the child, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Officials say that when police went to a Cincinnati home on Monday, they found the baby decapitated and stabbed multiple times with a large chef's knife. They said the infant, Jayniah, was on a kitchen counter, and her mother, 20-year-old Deasia Watkins, was found in bed, covered with blood.
Watkins was arrested and charged with aggravated murder.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said Watkins had been ordered to stay away from the baby after she was hospitalized for psychiatric problems. The baby had been placed in an aunt's custody.
According to Deters, authorities were notified of the murder Monday after a 5-year-old at the house found the baby's body on the kitchen counter.
Deters said the aunt who had custody of the baby had let Watkins move in with her and the baby about a week earlier.
"This is one of the most disturbing cases I have ever seen in my life," Deters said.
County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco said the baby's injuries also included a fractured arm.
"These are images that will be indelibly marked in my memory," Sammarco said.
Deters said Watkins hasn't spoken and is in a Cincinnati hospital.
The prosecutor said he doesn't anticipate seeking the death penalty in the case at this time.
"It was pretty clear to the officers involved that she is suffering from some serious mental issues," Deters said.
CBS affiliate WKRC reports Watkins is currently under a psychiatric hold and her arraignment date has not been set.