A Delaware couple has been arrested for the alleged murder of their 5-month-old baby, who they did not report was born and was found buried in their backyard, local authorities reported.
Delaware State Police announced the arrest of Angel Toran, 22, and her fiancé, Ny'Jier Murphy, 24, on Thursday. The couple has been charged with murder by abuse or neglect and other charges, police said in a news release.
Police had responded to the couple's residence in Magnolia, Delaware on Oct. 10, 2021, with the Division of Family Services to perform a welfare check on their infant child. The agency had received information that the infant had been born and possibly died at home, with both going unreported to the authorities.
An investigation was launched by the Delaware State Police Homicide Major Crimes Unit. The investigation found that Toran gave birth to her child at home in April 2021 and did not report it to the state, police said.
It was then determined that the baby had died at the age of five months old in mid-September and also went unreported.
The baby's body was found buried on the couple's property and was exhumed on Oct. 11, 2021. It was then turned over to the Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy, according to police.
The infant was determined to be "severely malnourished" and succumbed to medical issues associated with the malnourishment.
During the welfare check in October, Murphy was also observed with a holstered Glock 19 9mm, which police said he did not have a permit to carry in the state of Delaware.
Murphy and Toran were notified of their arrest warrants on Feb. 10, 2022, and Murphy resisted arrest but was taken into custody after a brief struggle, while Toran did not resist. Toran is being held on $260,000 bail, while Murphy is being held on $270,000 bail.
Delaware State Police added that additional charges for the couple are coming in their press release, and the investigation is still active and ongoing.
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