Sophia Simmons (Phoenix Police Dept.)
A 38-year-old mother in Arizona has been arrested for allegedly killing her young daughter, whose body was found stuffed in a plastic tote bag that had been discarded in a dumpster on Christmas Eve. Sophia Simmons was taken into custody on Monday and charged with one count each of first-degree murder, child abuse, and tampering with evidence, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Phoenix Police Department, officers at about 8 p.m. on Sunday responded to the area of 31st Avenue and Thomas Road in regards to a body being found in a dumpster behind a local business. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders said they quickly discovered the body of a young “school-aged” girl inside the dumpster.
One day later, a tipster called police and indicated that the mother of the young girl — whom the caller identified as Simmons — was the individual responsible for inflicting the fatal injuries on the little girl and then placing her body in the dumpster.
Court documents obtained by Phoenix CBS affiliate KTVK provided additional details about the crimes with which authorities have charged Simmons.
According to the report, investigators with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner removed the body of a child believed to be between age 5 and 7 from the dumpster. The victim appeared to have suffered from a spate of different injuries to her torso, arms, and legs. The injuries were reportedly in different stages of healing, with some being very recent, which authorities said was a clear sign of ongoing physical abuse.
The individual who contacted police on Monday was in New York and had spoken to Simmons within the last day, KTVK reported. Simmons allegedly told the caller that she had been beating the victim when she realized that “it went too far.” Simmons reportedly told the caller that she then left the house and when she returned, her daughter was unresponsive and not breathing.
Simmons allegedly told the caller that she attempted to perform CPR on her daughter, but was unsuccessful at resuscitating the victim. When she realized she would not be able to revive the girl, Simmons allegedly said that she left her daughter’s body in the house for about five days and then brought it to the dumpster to dispose of it.
Police obtained a search warrant for Simmons’ home where they reportedly found evidence indicating that someone had tried to clean up a crime scene, including an outdoor garden hose that had been snaked through the front door, multiple inside areas with standing water, and a couch with no couch cushions. Simmons was not at the house at the time of the search, KTVK reported.
A warrant was obtained for Simmons’ cellphone data which reportedly showed that in the early morning hours of Dec. 24, she was in the area of the dumpster where her daughter was later found.
She was apprehended while driving in the direction of California, police said.
During her initial appearance in court, prosecutors said Simmons had previously been convicted on one count of malicious punishment of a child in Minnesota, per KTVK.
She is currently being held without bond.
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