Several months after their case made headlines, police have confirmed assault charges laid against two parents accused of abusing their twin daughters will be upgraded to second degree murder.
The announcement comes after one of the girls – called ‘Baby M’, as her identity can’t be released – died in September.
The couple had been charged with two counts each of aggravated assault – however, two of those charges have been upgraded to second degree murder.
Now, the couple is facing one count each of second degree murder, aggravated assault, criminal negligence causing death and two counts each of failing to provide the necessities of life.
Charges were laid after paramedics were called to the family’s south side home in May, 2012 – where they found one of the toddlers in cardiac arrest with life-threatening brain trauma, and the other suffering from numerous injuries.
Paramedics successfully revived the one girl, and both were rushed to hospital.
Police said the two-year-old girls were assessed by doctors who found they were severely malnourished; one of the girls weighed about 6 kilograms (13 lbs.), the other weighed 7 kilograms (16 lbs).
One of the girls, called ‘M’ in court documents, had to be placed on life support – she was removed from life support Sept. 20 and passed away a short time later.
The names of the children and the parents can’t be released to protect the identities of the children.
A third child, a little boy, was not hurt and has since been placed in foster care.
The accused are scheduled to appear in court Friday.
