A father’s painful fight to protect his daughter is now drawing attention after police in Cleveland found the bodies of two young girls hidden inside suitcases.
Eight-year-old Mila Chatman and her 10-year-old half-sister Amor Wilson were discovered buried in shallow ground in the Collinwood area. Police say the girls were placed in separate suitcases before being buried.
Authorities have arrested the children’s mother, Aliyah Henderson, 28. She is now facing two counts of aggravated murder. Investigators say the exact cause of death for both girls has not yet been confirmed.
For Mila’s father, the news has reopened years of pain. He said he spent six years trying to take custody of his daughter but was never successful.
“I just feel useless. I couldn’t save my daughter,” he said.
The father said the last time he saw Mila was about four years ago. Since then, he said he kept trying to get more access to his child and even asked for help from child protection authorities, but nothing changed.
He described Mila as a happy child who loved to smile and play. Photos and videos he shared show a young girl full of life.
The fathers of both girls had tried in the past to take custody, according to reports. Mila’s father said the children were sometimes left alone and that communication with their mother was difficult.
Now he is waiting for investigators to finish their work, including DNA tests that could help answer more questions about what happened.
Police in Cleveland say the investigation is still ongoing.
People in the neighborhood have created a small memorial near the place where the girls were found. Flowers, candles, and stuffed toys have been placed there as friends and neighbors mourn the loss of two young lives.
By: Paisley Rae Thompson