YORK COUNTY, Va. — Investigators say a Yorktown woman is now charged with felony murder for the death of an 11-month-old baby last year.
The York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office said 40-year-old Kristen Danielle Graham left the infant inside a vehicle for several hours on Sept. 12, 2023.
The investigation began when a man in his 80s showed up at the emergency room of Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News and notified staff that he had the body of a child in his vehicle, which was parked by the entrance. According to York-Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery, staff members went to the car and found a trash bag with a child inside.
Graham was arrested a short time later for felony child neglect and misdemeanor animal cruelty. A dog that had also been left inside the car had died.
Investigators with the sheriff's office believe that Graham had been taking care of the child for around two days, and had looked after the child periodically before. The child's mother is a 17-year-old who lives in York County.
Authorities waited for autopsy results from the Medical Examiner's Office before deciding to charge Graham with murder.
Deputies said Graham turned herself in on Thursday to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail, where she is currently being held without bond.