CLEVELAND — The mother of two young girls whose bodies were found in suitcases in a Cleveland neighborhood appeared in court Friday.
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Aliyah Henderson, 28, was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, according to our CBS affiliate WOIO-19 TV.
She has no prior record and no history of violence.
A judge set her bond to $2 million — $1 million for each charge of aggravated murder.
Officers executed a search warrant at a home on E. 162nd before the arrest.
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A third child, who appeared to be in good health, was found inside the home. They are now in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, according to our CBS affiliate.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner has since identified the girls as 10-year-old Amor Wilson and 8-year-old Mila Chatman.
As previously reported by News Center 7, they were half-sisters.
A man was out walking his dog in the evening hours of March 2 when he found what appeared to be a body in a suitcase in the city’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
When officers got there, they found the body in a suitcase in a shallow grave.
As previously reported, while searching the area, officers found what appeared to be a second shallow grave with a suitcase in it. A second body was found inside it.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said their bodies had been “some time.”
“These were two young lives with their entire futures ahead of them,” said Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd. “Our detectives worked tirelessly and with great care to identify those responsible. Investigations of this nature require patience, precision, and discretion. Unlike what is often portrayed on television, every detail cannot be shared publicly. Certain information must remain confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure justice for these victims. That careful and methodical work allowed our detectives to develop the evidence needed to make quick identification of a person of interest, ultimately resulting in an arrest.”
A memorial where the two girls were found has continued to grow with teddy bears, flowers, balloons, and more throughout the day.
There will be a vigil at the site at 4 p.m. on Friday.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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