In a grim discovery on Christmas Eve 2023, the body of a young girl, estimated to be between five and seven years old, was found in a dumpster in Phoenix, Arizona, leading to the arrest of her 38-year-old mother, Sophia Simmons, who faces several felony charges.
A local man, searching for firewood in a dumpster on the evening of December 24, found the body of the child stuffed inside a plastic storage tote.
Phoenix police were called to the scene and noted the child bore multiple injuries on her legs, arms, and torso.
Some wounds were open, while others appeared to be in various stages of healing, accompanied by scars from previous injuries, as detailed in a probable cause statement obtained by local media.
The following day, a tip from a longtime friend in New York alerted the police to Simmons. The tipster, who had known Simmons for nearly 20 years, claimed to have received a call from Simmons, who allegedly confessed to beating her child “too far.”
According to the statement, Simmons said she left home after the beating and, upon returning, found her daughter not breathing.
Despite attempts at CPR, she was unable to revive the child. Simmons reportedly stayed with the body for five days before disposing of it in a dumpster.
Police surveillance of Simmons’ townhouse revealed signs of someone attempting to clean the premises. A subsequent search warrant unveiled an emptied home, with couches moved to the patio and missing cushions, suggesting further attempts to erase evidence of the crime.
Simmons was detained in Tonopah, Arizona, approximately 50 miles west of Phoenix, and booked into Maricopa County Jail.
She faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, child abuse, and tampering with physical evidence. Simmons has a prior conviction in Minnesota for malicious punishment of a child in 2013. She is currently held on a $1 million bond. A court appearance is scheduled for January 2, 2024.