MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The cases against the man and woman charged with the murder of a baby in their care have been sent to a grand jury, according to court records.
Dejon Smith, 34, and Kiya Moore, 21, are each charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect. Both were being held without bond until it was set at $3,000,000 each during a hearing on Aug. 21, according to court records.
According to the affidavit, Memphis Police received a call at 3 a.m. on Aug. 17, 2024, reporting that a one-year-old was experiencing cardiac arrest at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
The affidavit said Moore and Smith had been babysitting the child since Thursday, Aug. 15, around 5 p.m. The incident is reported to have happened just before 2:40 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The affidavit said the little girl had suffered a skull and neck fracture, rectal bleeding and massive bruising on her back. Both Moore and Smith were detained and taken to 170 N. Main St. for further investigation.
A doctor pronounced the child deceased at 4:01 a.m. on Saturday at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
A second examination by a doctor at Le Bonheur revealed that the fatal injuries included multiple skull fractures with a brain bleed, bruised kidney, high enzymes in the liver consistent with abdominal trauma, and blood in the lungs.
After investigators arrived at the home in the 1000 block of University St., they said they found no baby food and it was unclear whether the baby had an appropriate place to sleep
The affidavit said that both Moore and Smith waived their rights and gave conflicting statements.
According to the affidavit, Moore said she had left Smith with the child and claimed that upon returning home, she found the child unresponsive. She also stated that Smith refused to explain what had happened and instructed her to say that she had fallen asleep holding the child in bed, and that the child fell off the bed and hit her head on the nightstand. Moore claimed that she called a family member and asked them to take the baby to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
The affidavit said Smith told investigators that he heard Moore yelling in the back room with the child and heard the baby crying. He then claimed to have heard Moore slam the child onto the floor, walls, and wooden furniture six to 10 times. When Smith asked Moore what she was doing, she replied that it was nothing, but that the baby was crying too much and was getting on her nerves. Smith said Moore stopped when he entered the room and he noticed that the child was unresponsive.
Smith said that after he attempted CPR and applied cold water to the child without success, Moore called a family member to take the child to Le Bonheur. He claims that Moore told him the baby had fallen off the bed and hit her head on the nightstand.