Babysitter arrested for allegedly beating 'non-verbal' toddler to death after vomiting incident

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN: A 30-year-old mother stands accused of the tragic death of her friend's 3-year-old daughter while babysitting on March 17. 

Supposedly, Iesha Harris is accused of fatally assaulting the young girl, Harmoni Henderson, following an incident where the child vomited on herself.

Harris was apprehended last week on Wednesday, March 20, in relation to the incident and has been charged with one count of felony murder and one count of first-degree child abuse concerning the tragic death of young Henderson, as reported by Law&Crime.

Harmoni Henderson was pronounced dead after blunt force trauma inflicted on her by Iesha Harris

According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, officers from the Detroit Police Department responded to a residence in the 15700 block of Southfield Freeway around 1:30 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2024.

Prosecutors have claimed that the defendant, Harris, who is a longtime friend of Harmoni's mother, was responsible for babysitting the child at the time when the victim suffered fatal injuries.

Subsequently, the child was privately transported to a local hospital for treatment but tragically succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased. 

The child's cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma inflicted by the defendant.

Harris is presently scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause conference on March 27 and a preliminary examination hearing on April 1.

Prosecutors stated that during the preliminary examination hearing, "more complete facts and evidence will be placed on the record."

Laurie Carter shared disturbing details about a child’s death

During an interview, Captain Laurie Carter, who heads the Detroit Police Special Victims Unit, provided further insights into the investigation concerning Harmoni's tragic death.

Carter, one of the officers who arrived at the hospital where Harmoni's mother and Harris had brought her, commented, "When I arrived at the hospital, the child had already been conveyed by the mother and also the friend (Harris), The child was deceased when I arrived.”  

Carter further expressed deep concern over the "very disturbed" circumstances of Harmoni's death, asserting, "Nothing like this should ever happen to a child."

What did Harmoni’s mother report?

In contrast, Harmoni's mother recounted that Harris purportedly slammed the toddler's head into a bathtub, leading to her death, expressing, "She was struggling. My child is autistic and nonverbal. I believe she became overwhelmed with her, along with her own daughter, and she forcefully hit my child's head against the tub."

The mother expressed profound betrayal, mentioning that she had previously trusted her friend "wholeheartedly" before the appalling act of violence.

Authorities revealed that Harris had been entrusted with Harmoni for the night and purportedly confined the toddler in a room with her own 1-year-old child for about three hours while she smoked marijuana.

Upon returning to the room, Harris allegedly found that Harmoni had vomited on herself, triggering her rage.

What did the prosecutor claim?

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Douglas asserted, “Ms Harris allegedly admitted to police she poured scalding water on top of the 3-year-old and slammed her head against the side of the bathtub,” with the scalding water reportedly poured on Harmoni’s head and face.

Supposedly, when Harmoni's mother contacted Harris to inquire about her daughter's well-being, Harris asserted that the child had fallen down the stairs and hit her head, insisting that she was otherwise unharmed.

However, the following morning, when Harmoni’s mother arrived to pick her up, she found the child unresponsive in bed, stating, "She was already dead from the moment that I got there, She was gone.” 

A fundraising campaign on GoFundMe has been launched for Harmoni Henderson, with $715 USD collected out of the $2,000 target to aid her mother.