Cleveland police on Thursday charged 28-year-old Aliyah Henderson following an investigation after the remains of two girls were found buried in suitcases earlier this week, a department spokesperson said Thursday.
Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz said police detained Henderson Wednesday evening after detectives completed initial interviews and examined evidence.
Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Jeffrey Johnson set a $2 million bond during Henderson's arraignment Friday. The case will likely head to a grand jury in county court.
Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kristine Travaglini identified Henderson as the girls' mother.
"It's alleged in this matter the defendant did cause the death of her two daughters, 8 and 10-years-old. The badly decomposed bodies of the two little girls were found in shallow graves in Cleveland in suitcases," Travaglini said.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the girls as 8-year-old Mila Chatman and 10-year-old Amor Wilson after concluding the girls are half-siblings.
After the positive identification, Cuyahoga County issued the following statement:
"We are profoundly saddened by the deaths of these two young girls, which is a tragedy for their families and our entire community. Due to the active criminal investigation into these deaths as well as the confidentiality obligation of Ohio law, we are unable to disclose any further information at this time."
The children’s remains were recovered Monday from a field near Ginn Academy in Cleveland's South Collinwood neighborhood after a tip from a dog walker, according to police.
Police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 700 block of East 162nd Street. The Department of Children and Family Services took custody of a child who was located inside the home and appeared to be in good health, police said.
After the arrest, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb also released a statement.
"I want to thank our homicide detectives and members of the Division of Police for their incredible work in this case," Bibb said. "Their dedication and persistence led to a quick arrest in connection with the tragic deaths of two young children whose bodies were discovered earlier this week.
"This has shocked our community. We love and protect our young people, and the loss of these two children is unimaginable. Our hearts are with everyone who is grieving this tragedy."
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said Tuesday she did not know how the girls died. Their bodies had been there for some time.
“We are hoping to find answers,” Todd told reporters. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”
"These were two young lives with their entire futures ahead of them," Todd said. "Our detectives worked tirelessly and with great care to identify those responsible. Investigations of this nature require patience, precision and discretion. Unlike what is often portrayed on television, every detail cannot be shared publicly."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
