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Child Found Dead In Trash; Two Other Children Hospitalized After Being Home Alone For Two Days
October 13, 2009
(Updated) An Escambia County woman is charged with leaving her three young children home alone for two days with nothing to eat except six cups of Jello. One child, an 18-month old girl, was found dead in a trashcan at the woman’s home.
Christian Rochelle Woods, 21, is jailed for manslaughter and two counts of child abuse in connection with the incident that authorities said started when she left the children alone Saturday morning as she went to work in Mobile. When she returned about 48 hours later, she fabricated a story that the children were missing.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said Woods was in jail 12 hours before admitting that Myleahya Woods (pictured left) was dead in a trashcan at her home.
Myleahya ’s twin sister, Mykayhala (pictured right) and Jaterius Woods, 2, are recovering in an area hospital from pneumonia and malnutrition. The children showed obvious signs of abuse, according to Morgan.
According to deputies, Woods called the sheriff’s office from a Winn Dixie on Mobile Highway about 2:30 Monday afternoon to reported Mykayhala as missing. As investigators followed up on leads, they contacted one of Woods’ relatives who stated that he has just retrieved another of Woods’ childre, two-year old Jaterius. When deputies saw the little boy, they observed a bump on his head and other signs of abuse, according to arrest reports.
“The home did not have any power or running water, and there was no food in the home,” ESCO Investigator Troy Brown wrote in the arrest report. “The home was filthy and there were several roaches throughout the home. The victim’s diaper was completely full of urine and waste and the victim had a very large bruise on his forehead”
The discovery of Jaterious alone in the filthy home lead to Wood’s arrest on aggravated child abuse charges.
When Woods told deputies about the other two children being at the home twelve hours after her arrest, they immediately responded. That’s where they found Mykayhala severely malnourished.
“Mykayla was discovered under a bed in the home. Initially investigators believed this child was also deceased but investigators observed the child’s eyes flutter and immediately recovered the child,” ESCO Sgt. Ted Roy said.
According to ESCO arrest reports, Woods admitted in a sworn statement that “she did leave all three of her children in her home with no supervison for approximately three days..(and that) they were left without adequate food and basic utilities”.
“Obviously shocked” is how Morgan described his reaction to the case.
Christian Woods is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Click here to read Wood’s arrest reports (pdf).
Pictured top: Myleahya Woods (left) was found dead in trashcan Monday. Her twin sister Mykayhala is in critical condition in a Pensacola hospital after being found comatose. Pictured bottom inset: Christian Rochelle Woods is in jail charged with the crime. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
50 Responses to “Child Found Dead In Trash; Two Other Children Hospitalized After Being Home Alone For Two Days”
well…..all you guys should just sit back and read what you wright before you do it. i’m not saying either of you are wrong because there are some very good and bad comments here as well as right and wrong. okay…at 21 not one of you should say she is not matured enough to have kids becuase kids come here maturing younger and younger everyday in this world. she may not be mature enough to have kids..true, but she def knew what she was doing. Any 21 year old can have kids just as well as a 30 year old and make a better mom. AGE DOESN’ T DEFINE A GOOD MOTHER; KNOWLEDGE DOES. And non of you are to judge what happens to this girl, only god can do this.
skip the trial and save the tax dollars. take her out and shoot her before she breeds again!
no one is a perfect mom and never will be.IF her mother,father,sister or brother or the kids father knew she was mental and was helping her out with these kids do you honestly think they would have been left in a home with no lights,no water, and as crazy as it sound,left for 3 days alone.Unless all of them were mental!!!
IN RE: Cherie Ward………… In your post calling people ignorant and telling them to shut thier mouth because we question this situation is uncalled for and ignorant in itself.
You seem to forget or maybe not comprehend that this website is not available for you belittle, harass, and insult BUT to be informed and to be able to post educated, respectful opinions on “THE STORY” without being insulted with ignorance.
I think we ALL agree that this is a very sad story, 3 precious little babies being abused & neglected leaving 1 dead and YES we do ask where the FATHER and other relatives of these babies have been while they lay starving to death!!!! It is a very FAIR question.
At 21 years old, you should now be mature enough to know what is important here and that is What we can do to help put a stop to child abuse.
The relatives said they knew she was unstable, but none checked on these kids. But I bet now they will all be fighting over who gets them so they can collect the welfare checks for them. None of the family deserves to get these kids, and certainly not the father.. SAD, SAD, SAD.. They need to go in a good loving home to someone who can make them forget what they have been through, and no contact with any of that family.
after reading coments I now wonder this;
if this lady suffers from mental illness, and her family knows this, then why on earth would she retain custody, care and control over these children? I am led to believe that the mental illness is severe, as it appears to be mentioned to try and justify this outcome? if it was not severe mental illness why would it even be mentioned? is this the early court defense being established in the community? what ever it is, it will not bring back that little girl, and this lady definately needs help as her judgement is obviously very seriously impaired.
First of all to all of you ignorrant people talking about where was the father, where was the grandma, where was DCF, shut your mouth. I don’t care what that lady’s situation was, SHE was the stupid idiot that left her kids alone for 3 days. Animals take better care of their young. No one is to blame but the mom, and I think they should but her in a house with no electricity and just wait until she dies. She doesn’t even deserve to be thrown in a trash can. People like this should never be allowed to have children, she actually doesn’t deserve to live. I seriously cannot stand people like this. I’m 21 and I have a 2 year old. I’m a great mom and always have been, there is no reason why anyone should be so stupid. I hope they kill the mom.
Where were the Grandparents at the time. I always keep in contact with my grandchildren. I believe that the Granddad was called to go over there. I wish someone could have helped her. I do not believe hat she was doing was right but at least she was trying to work, What could she not get help like every one else why was she not getting food stamps? Sounds like the system failed her and the children.
To all of you people crying that DCF did not do their job:
First of all if DCF was out there before what did they see????? We don’t know. They could have been called out for bruises. And when they were there before there could have been power and water. If DCF took away ALL of the children that they investigate there will be hundreds or more kids without parents. I only hope that if DCF was out there before she was given a warning.
A person takes weeks to die of malnutrition. It was probably the heat that killed this poor little girl.
But, what is really sick is that the mother cared so little for her child that she put her in the trash, like she was nothing but garbage. Then she lied and said that the kids were missing. But knowing that one child had died the mother did not say anything for 12 hours to get help for the other two.
OMG…atmore—surely you did not mean what yousaid….”.Me and my family are close and i cant see any of my cousins staying in the home by themselves for 3 days,maybe a day but not for 3 days.” Surely you don’t think it is OK to leave children alone for a DAY…..Please, please, please tell me it ain’t so!!!! I feel guilty when I leave my CAT alone over nite!!!
Sorry folks, even if this mother grew up with no love, there are some things that people just know…like breath, eat, Even, someone was raised on a desserted island would know better…we all have animal instinct. My goodness, a 5 yr old child would know better than this. There is no excuse NONE.
And everyone who is taking the time to read or write these blogs, PLEASE . Email and/or write your lawmakers…this HORRIFIC type of behavior is happening in all states, until we demand better we won’t get better from DCF. Why doesn’t DCF have a watch dog??? Who are they accountable to??? We all need to demand better for America’s children, I have written many letters that go unanswered. Please don’t pray for better DEMAND better —that is what GOD gave us all big mouths for……so that we will take care of those who can not take care of them selves. Like these poor sweet children.
If she is mentally ill like stated then she should not have had custody of the children.I noticed she wasn’t malnourished.I know this from experience I had a sister who wasn’t able to raise her child and I went to court to get her in order to make sure that she would have a life or just to live.Yes my sister did try but I kept close tabs on them that when things started to go wrong I was there to defend the child.The child is now married with three children of her own and I never regretted one day of raising her.My daughter thinks of her as her lil sister and so does my son.I think the family should have had more contact with the children and they would have known of the shape these babies were in.Where are the fathers of these babies.The family and the fathers need to take some of the blame because they are all saying that she was unstable.That’s where family takes care of there own.The babies family let them down.Those poor babies never had a chance and the family never bothered to check on them knowing so or so they say that the mother wasn’t right.This must be a wake up call for that family.Yes go ahead and cry because these babies have been crying since birth.Where were you when they needed you,let me guess gone about your life and not worrying about these poor babies until its to late.Who will take them now?If the family can’t take the time to borther with the children there are lote of us who will gladly take them.They deserve love and compassion and I and others have lots to give.
if she was so mental,how did she throw the baby in the trash,go to winni dixie,call the police and say that particular child was missing.Im not to judge,but lets be real,if she was out of it,why call the police.and for the family God Bless those kids because i cant see how for 3 days no one knew those kids were in that house.Me and my family are close and i cant see any of my cousins staying in the home by themselves for 3 days,maybe a day but not for 3 days.Im not saying the family is at fault but if they knew she was mental some one should have been watching her actions daily to make sure she was taking care of those kids or some type of birth control should have been taken to prevent her from having these babies.I can only imagine what these kids did at night when it got dark,no lights no tv,no nothing.This is the worse.Their is no way i would have been able to take that mugshot with a straight face knowing what i had done to my kids.Yall just remember a family that prays together stays together and i have said a prayer for these kids and her BC SHE NEEDS HELP!!
T. Sanders I suppose you were responding to my comment on God giving her understanding…? Well, I am a Christian and God can do anything so yes I pray for her understanding becuase she will have to go through this for the rest of her life.
First of all, please learn how to spell and use proper grammar. If you have a hard time in this department, please seek a tutor.
Secondly, WHAT WAS THIS MOTHER THINKING!!!! I have two little girls. One is 7 and the other almost two. I will not leave them alone to walk to the mailbox, much less leave them home alone for two days.
Since I don’t agree with the death penalty, my alternative is to lock her up in a dark, hot house in July, with nothing to drink or eat accept Jello and bugs, and no toilet.
Jail is way too easy.
If yhis mother is mentally ill she will NEVER know or understand what she did was wrong…come on…either you are a mental case or you are not…
My heart goes out to those little angels. And if i was the judge i would lock her up and throw away the key. I know she have seen enough child abuse cases to no thats a no no in GOD’S eye sight. A women like that should never be able to go around another child again. She should be marked like a rapist is marked. I have no sympthy for her at all. I just pray to GOD that those little angels go to a lovely family that can love them. And for the other baby ur already in good hands; because ur in the best place in the world. Heaven where my little angel is.
If she is this irresponsible, I wonder if she truly knows which twin is dead and which is alive. I hope the authorities double check on this with footprints or something!
I don’t even leave my pets alone for too long. I can’t believe she didn’t know that it was wrong to leave those children alone and in such conditions.
On the radio this morning, the report said she was currently unemployed, so what was so important in Mobile?
DHG, I hope your comment was sarcastic in nature; surely, you don’t consider the lives of our children “little thing”(s) for which we are responsible.
Yes, there is always a father(s). And if he/they knew about his child(ren), he is just as responsible as this “mother.” What this “person” did is beyond reprehension.
Unless a person lives in a cave and is never exposed to other people, there comes a time when everyone knows the difference between right or wrong. I am weary of the excuse “not having a proper childhood” or “that person just made a bad decision.”
I feel revulsion for this act, but not surprise. This happens more than we want to know.
I felt the same way about this when I found out from my father that she had left those children because I too have a one year old daughter and would NEVER in a million years think of doing something like that to anyone let alone my child. My mind quickly changed Christian needs love and support becuase she is mentally ill, and I know this becuase she is my cousin. I hate that she didn’t say anything to anyone about what she was going through but, she didn’t and precious baby is gone! Instead of passing judgement please first look inside yourselves to find the love God puts in us all. I will tell each and every one of you all as well as the media to pray for the babies Jeterius and Mykayhala’s speedy recovery, for Christian to know and understand what she did and for her to get the help she needs, and finally for my family to get through this trying time.
Thanks.
REGARDING:
“My question is WHAT ABOUT THE FATHER of these children?”
Why do you assume there is a father, or only one father?
There may just be a number of possibilities. People who are irresponsible in a little thing like the lives of their children are sometimes irresponsible in other things as well.
I just don’t think I can censor my comment enough to be printed. I’m hoping while in prison they “lose” her food!
She doesn’t deserve a trail. Just build a scaffold, declare a holiday, and have a public hanging. Lets send a message to all those who abuse innocent children, old folks, and animals. The legal system will probable just give her a slap on the wrist and send her, along with those other two babies, home for her to kill them too. Its time that America gets tough with these people just like the rest of the world. If she had of done this in China, do you REALLY THINK she would be in jail now?????????? She would be in the trash where she put that beautiful baby. Wake up America!!!!!!!!!! Its time to send a message to these people that enough is enough.
DCF. What a joke. Anytime you ever hear of horrible things like this happening to children, you can always bet that DCF has been called before. Pensacola is one of the worst. The person or persons from DCF who did the follow-ups on this family, and did nothing, should be FIRED. I hope that they see these children in every waking and sleeping moment for the rest of their lives.
My question is WHAT ABOUT THE FATHER of these children?
Did he not (as most cases now days) play an active role in the lives of these poor babies? and….what about his Parents? did they NOT care about these grandchildren?
What about the GRANDPARENTS? NEIGHBORS? Other realatives?
Someone HAD to know about this situtation, and did NOTHING to protect these poor babies from torture!!
Was Christian Rochelle Woods raised this same way by her own parents? if so, then there is a clear picture of the LACK of INTEREST in protecting and caring for thier grandchildren.
God bless them. May the other 2 be placed in homes with love, and NOT be abused ever again.
May the little one who went to heaven now know what love is.
I THINK THAT THE DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THOSE CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED. SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN THEM TO A HOSPITAL OR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DROPPED THEM OFF NO QUESTIONS ASKED AND THOSE CHILDREN WOULD BE ALIVE.
To Florida girl, this with the DCF is just like spousal abuse, the authorities never do anything until “something happens”…WELL DCF, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!! You have already been involved with her and knew some of the circumstances, especially if you had made ANY home visits……and you did NOTHING…now this child had to pay for it
12 hours before they found out the child was dead in a trash can? DCF had been involved? Is there no COMMUNICATION between police and DCF so they would know one child was missing? Didn’t anyone look in the trash can? Not that it would have mattered, probably. Shock can upstage common sense and it must have been the case with these investigators.
I would have taken all of these children and given them plenty of love and plenty to eat.
I also heard on WEAR that DCF had already been involved with this “mother” before this incident. “The department of children and families says they have dealt with Christian Rochelle Woods and her family in the past, but they can not give us specifics.”
Goes to show how ineffective DCF is…as this is not the first case of death of a child whose parents were “under investigation” by DHR. Sadly, this type of thing goes on all over the world. Thankfully, these poor children have a Father in Heaven who loves them, and in Heaven there will be no more sorrow, tears, crying or death (Rev 21)
So sad, my heart goes out to these children, I have a 2 year old daughter and I just held her last night and cried, I couldn’t even imagine what was going through these little babies mines.I pray for a full recovery for them, they are so precious!!
There are so many people that can’t have children who would love to have them, just don’t understand why not drop them off at a church or Fire Dept ?
A woman doesn’t display any life skills what so ever and allows one child to die and the others to suffer, and it is because we have abortion??? I doubt that. More like a society that either has tried to fight poverty but did it the wrong way and have some who ended up locked into poverty and another part of society view the poor with such disdain they ignore them, making getting a job tough, and after a few generations, loose even the most fundamental life skills.
Unfortunately, for other women with children who need help, most will just sit in church and pray for those that disaster has publicly hit and ignore the rest. Saying “God bless the children” now is asinine and too late.
To SJ,
The first two sentences of your comment conveys my feeling exactly on
abortion. The fact that the cheapness of the value of human life that is
expressed in the exceptance of abortion has brought us to this regression
in our existance. Even wild animals do not distroy their young simply be-
cause of the absence of their own responsibility. My Mother used to say,
a person who would distroy their own child would turn on ANYONE that
crosses their path.
The fact that she had 3 children before the age of 21 is probably due to
gov. assistance for LIVE born children is required for welfare checks to
be issued.
Wow three babies and she is just 21. This is a sad that that baby carried the price for her mother not being responable. As much of services out there to help her with these kids. Childcare and what ever else she needed help with. It is a disgrace. This is why kids don’t need to be having sex at such a young age. I didn’t have my first child till I was 22. And here there is so many people who can’t have kids that would Love to have one. I sorry but she step into being adult shoes when she deciced to have sex and have a baby. So now she should have to pay for her crime. A baby doesen’t ask to be born!!! But this one surly paid the PRICE.
This is completely sickening! Makes my stomach turn. I would have taken them without question – there is always someone who would. I think the same should be done to her. No power, water, food and be forced to live in her own feces and urine! I could literally throw up.
EMD – amen!
If a person does not know love they can not give love. we have to accept J.C. and do all things through him. I am deeply saddened by all of this and will be praying for all involved.
She needs to go attempt a home invasion in Brewton…..
God has blessed America, but the majority of America has not blessed God. As a whole, we value things more than people. What a horrible thing for those babies. Perhaps the mother physically survived the same sort of life. People without the Love of God in their heart are bound for emptiness, heartache and trouble. The thought ringing through my heart is………..”One cannot dish out what one does not have.” Think about it. Really. “Pay it Forward” works both ways.
Its a sad mess. i pray for the children. i also pray that the justice system that we have in place gives this animal (she surely can’t be called human) what she deserves. It makes me wonder what has happened to our society, but it makes me wonder more… what has happened to America???
people like me cant have anymore , and is absolutely dieing for 1….and here is this woman killing hers…she needs help…bless these babies…and lord help her!!!
THIS IS SUCH A TRAGEDY. I WILL HAVE THESE CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHER IN MY PRAYERS, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THIS FAMILY HAS GONE THROUGH. THIS WOMAN WILL PAY FOR THIS THE REST OF HER LIFE. I PRAY THESE OTHER CHILDREN GET NEW GOOD HOMES AND I PRAY THIS MOTHER WILL FIND PEACE WITH GOD AS DID HER BABY. I DONT BELIEVE THE LORD LET THIS CHILD SUFFER, STILL VERY VERY SAD.
GOD BLESS THESE CHILDREN !!!!! I MAY NOT B THE BEST MOM BUT, I STILL DO NOT LIKE LEAVN MY “13″YR OLD HOME ALONE! WHY DID SHE LEAVE THEM “BABIES” HOME ALONE.HOW?
This lady is sick needs to be locked away she didn’t even care how sad. I find it hard to believe no one knew about this. If they knew she was like this I pray they see these babies when they sleep. She came home 48 hours later what is that about how could she do that. and just jello to eat she didnt care.
I pray for the babies and there mother.May god be with them all.
“WOW” who in the world leave there kids alone for todays???? && especially with only JELLO to eat this is amazing I dont even have kid && i know more than her crazy self does>>>>>let God be with her && God bless them kids
A tubal ligation would have been order after the first birth.
Did this child not have any family? No one seen these children? No one knew there was no water,electricity in that house? It is a terrible tragedy,those Babies did not deserve this,and the mother needs punishment,but at the same time i wonder,did no one see that she needed help? Were there no grandparents wondering about these babies?
My heart goes out to the children.Rest in peace little one,i hope the others will be adopted by good families.
Babies having babies and no father around. Where have the parents been in this young persons up bringing???. It is so sad that these little babies are the ones to suffer. They should never have been brought into the world. ,,like I stated where were the parents to have guided her along.
Bless the little children, Please don`t let her have them back!!!
Throw her in jail and give her jello at every meal!
SOMEONE THAT CRAZY ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOULD BE BEHIND BARS THE REST OF THEIR LIFE…GOD BLESS THOSE KIDS…
SOMEONE had to see the abuse that these babies were going through.
…this is wild …may god be with her (b/c she defiantly needs him) & may god bless those kids