Police have released more details regarding the death of 4-year-old Aniya Day-Garrett in Euclid, whose mother and mother's boyfriend have been charged with her murder.
According to a police report, Aniya's skin appeared to be "extremely pale and lifeless," and her face and neck were "very small and emaciated." She also had apparent burn marks on her feet and legs, and fingers so thin that first responders "could see the individual joints."
Photos of more of Aniya's injuries were later taken at Euclid Hospital, where she died. Doctors observed a large bruise on her left eye which nearly closed it shut, as well as a laceration above her left eyebrow. She also had scald marks on both legs.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner determined Aniya died from cerebral infarction as a result of blunt impacts to her head and was also malnourished. Her mother Sierra Day and mother's boyfriend Deonte Lewis have both been charged with aggravated murder, with bond set at $1 million.
Day and Lewis were the ones who called 911 Sunday when Aniya apparently stopped breathing. Lewis falsely referred to Aniya as his "daughter," while Day seemed calm and reserved as dispatch assisted her with CPR.
Sierra Day told authorities her daughter had not been feeling well since eating at Red Lobster last Thursday and that she had fallen off a toilet on Sunday. She added that she gave Aniya medicine, food, and water which the threw up before she stopped breathing.
While Day and Lewis each have no criminal record, officials say Harbor Crest Child Care in Euclid filed a report for "Abusing a Minor" against Day in May of 2017. The report allegedly documented a year and a half of injuries sustained by Aniya, and after contacting child services it was learned there were several closed cases of abuse involving Aniya and her mother, as well as several recent reports at their apartment on Lakeshore Blvd.
Aniya's father, Mickhal Garrett, had been fighting for custody of his daughter prior to her death. He told WKYC he believed Sierra Day had been mistreating Aniya, and was visibly emotional at Day's and Lewis' arraignment earlier this week.
The Euclid Police Department continues to investigate the case.