Mother Of Murdered Two-Year-Old Louisiana Toddler Arrested
Two-year-old Nevaeh Allen was found dead in Mississippi a week ago and her Stepfather was arrested immediately after she was found. Today, we have news that her mother has also been arrested for Nevaeh's death.
Louisiana State Police reported that Nevaeh was discovered missing by her siblings after they had returned home from school and found the door to their apartment open and their sister missing. Her stepfather, Phillip Gardner, told the police that he had laid down for a nap around 1:00pm and that was the last time he saw her.
Gardner was arrested and charged with unlawful disposal of remains and obstruction of justice in connection with Nevaeh's disappearance. He was booked into the East Baton Rouge Prison.
One week ago Lanaya Cardwell, Nevaeh's mother, told reporters she was at work when her daughter disappeared and that leaving the apartment didn't sound like her daughter:
After questioning both Gardner and Cardwell, the Baton Rouge Police believe they know what happened that day. Arrest records allege that the toddler grabbed her mother's contact lenses and that Cardwell punched her which made her fall backwards and hit her head on a cabinet. Gardner then dropped Cardwell off at work. Nevaeh began complaining about her stomach hurting and refused to eat. Later in the day, Gardner found her unresponsive on the couch. He loaded her lifeless body into a suitcase and drove out to Logtown, Mississippi where he dropped her off in the woods.
Prosecutors described Nevaeh Allen's body as badly beaten.
A Baton Rouge judge set bond at $375,000 for both Gardner and Cardwell at their trials yesterday.
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