A Pierce County woman is currently facing a second-degree murder charge following the death of her teenage daughter’s newborn baby. Dayjanay Thomas, 31, was initially arrested on February 23 for first-degree criminal mistreatment, but prosecutors updated the charges on August 20 to include second-degree felony murder.
The News Tribune reported that on February 10, Thomas and her 14-year-old daughter arrived at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, carrying a cardboard box that contained a deceased newborn. According to court records, Thomas told detectives at the hospital that she was unaware of her daughter’s pregnancy or that she had even given birth at their home. Thomas claimed she was asleep until around 11:00 AM that day.
