Delaware Woman Charged With Abusing A Corpse
DOVER, Del. (CBS) – A Dover woman was arrested Wednesday after investigators say the body of a small boy was found in a storage area at her home.
According to Delaware State Police, Karen N. Hooks, 33, of Squire Circle in Dover, has been charged with abusing a corpse.
An investigation began on July 9th after the Division of Family Services (DFS) reported a pregnant woman was no longer pregnant and her two-year-old child was missing.
Through the help of a relative, detectives made contact with Hooks on July 13th. She informed detectives her son, Justice, was currently in the care of a female friend and denied she had recently been pregnant.
However, Delaware State Police say they were unable to verify Hooks' story. Due to concerns for the welfare of the child, detectives obtained a search warrant on July 25th for Hooks' home in the unit block of Squire Circle in the Royal Grant Development.
During the search, detectives located "a suspiciously wrapped package" in a storage area. The package was removed by the Medical Examiner's Office which later determined it to be the remains of a male child at least one year of age.
Hooks was arrested and arraigned on the charge of abusing a corpse. She is currently held on $1,000.00 cash bail.
Homicide Detectives and the Medical Examiner's Office are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child's death. Additional charges are possible based on the outcomes of the investigation.
