The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office has arrested a woman on charges of killing her 12-week-old niece while babysitting her at a residence in Harrison.
Deputies on Tuesday at approximately 10:30 a.m. responded to 5909 Fort Sumter Dr. to investigate the death of Elizabeth Mia Fry.
Spokesperson Janice Atkinson said, "Based on the facts and circumstances surrounding the child’s death, detectives determined that her aunt, Jessica Lynne Fax, who had been babysitting the child, murdered Elizabeth Fry.
"The Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office reports that the child sustained multiple skull fractures, which was the primary cause of death."
Ms. Fax, 28, was arrested Wednesday by detectives with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and was booked at the Hamilton County Jail. She was charged with criminal homicide and is due to appear in General Sessions Court next Monday.
Detectives said the baby had no visible injuries, but an autopsy showed "multiple skull fractures and the preliminary cause of death appeared to be blunt force trauma to the skull."
The child was in full rigor mortis upon arrival of EMS, it was stated, and it was determined that Ms. Fax was the only person who had custody of the infant at the time of death.
Ms. Fax was interviewed on Wednesday, and she admitted she was the only person in the residence but said there was no injury to the child. When confronted with the autopsy report, she said she "dropped the child in the floor, then fed her and put her to bed."
Detectives said the floor is covered with new carpet with new padding "and could not have caused the injury to the child."
Visible inspection at the medical examiner's office "indicated severe impact to the skull and possible multiple impacts to be determined during the full medical examiner report. Observation of the injuries indicate they would be immediately incapacitating and the statement about feeding the infant after the injury is false."
Fort Sumter Drive is near Central High School. It is parallel with Congress Lane.