Although authorities are still investigating, the suspect accused of killing 19-month-old Sophia Faye Davis has been arrested.
Sophia died in February, in Logan County, Illinois, after suffering blunt force trauma to the head, an autopsy report stated.
Now, her dad’s girlfriend, Cierra Coker, 20, has been held accountable. Coker has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery to a child.
However, Sophia’s mother, Cassy Needham, says that Coker has hurt her daughter prior to this occurrence, as well. On Jan 2, Needham had picked her child up from her father’s house and was extremely concerned. Sophia had cuts and bruises on her face and a visible black eye. It also seemed as if she had some sort of friction burn on her face, and she couldn’t quite move her left arm.
After transporting her daughter to a hospital, she learned that Sophia’s arm was broken. Hospital staff then contacted DCFS for suspected child abuse.
After an investigation, the mother was cleared of any mistreatment of the child. When they visited the father’s residence, Coker told them that other children in the home had injured Sophia. There was no way to see if that was true.
After DCFS told her that they labeled the case “unfound,” Needham didn’t have a choice but to continue to let the child visit her father on February 5.
One day later, Coker called Needham in a frantic manner. She said that Sophia wasn’t breathing and was bleeding from her mouth. After instructing her to call 911, Coker stated, “something is wrong!”
Sophia was eventually transported to a hospital where she died.
“None of this should have happened. I did everything I could to protect her, and the system failed me,” her mother said sorrowfully.
