Authorities apprehended the mother of a missing five-year-old child following the alleged discovery of the girl’s remains inside her apartment in Aurora, Colorado.
Alexus Tanielle Nelson, 27, initially in custody for alleged attempts to mislead a public servant, found herself facing an expanded list of charges on Thursday, June 1. According to the Aurora Police Department, she is now charged with child abuse leading to death, interference with a deceased body, and impeding an investigation. The additional charges were instituted following the shocking discovery of the child’s body in a closet at Nelson’s home on the last day of May.
The initial police investigation was prompted when Nelson’s mother contacted law enforcement, expressing concern over unsettling comments made by her daughter and apprehensions about her granddaughter’s safety. In response to law enforcement inquiries, Nelson contended she had given up her child for adoption. However, she could not present any supporting documentation and authorities found no confirmation in state records, leading to their suspicions and her arrest.
While the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office is still in the process of officially identifying the victim, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation has preliminarily identified Maha Li Hobbs as the missing child. During a press conference on Thursday, Police Chief Art Acevedo of Aurora expressed his confidence in the victim’s identification and hinted at the high probability of forthcoming murder charges.
Nelson is currently being detained on a $100,000 bond. It has not been established whether she has submitted a plea regarding the charges or if she has appointed a legal representative to deliver a statement on her behalf.