PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A townhome complex on Victory Boulevard in Portsmouth sits quietly after an investigation into the tragic death of a child.
Chiquita Smith lives in the neighborhood, and said she lived right next door to where the child was found. She said she came home on November 26 to find social services parked out front.
Smith later learned her neighbor and mother of the child, Chante Smith, was arrested six days after the baby died. The father of the child, Dontae Taylor, was arrested the same day.
Portsmouth Police reported over the weekend they arrested the two on December 2 after a thorough investigation. Chante and Taylor now face multiple charges, including aggravated murder and child abuse.
"I'm at a loss for words," Chiquita said. "I had never seen any ill will to consider a child had died... and child abuse? I have four kids. Half of them grown. I have a 14-year-old, but who would want to harm her? Especially an infant."
Chiquita said the baby girl was only a few weeks old when she died. She said she only met her once after she gave Chante a few pieces of baby clothes to honor the new arrival in the home.
Chiquita said Chante always appeared to be a quiet women who was kind to her neighbors.
"Sweet baby. I never picked her up, but she would be laying there so sweet," Chiquita reminisced. "Like I said, I didn't know much about her. She was quiet, we didn't talk a lot, but as neighbors, she was very cordial."
Aggravated murder is not a common charge seen in court. Virginia Beach attorney and 13News Now legal analyst Ed Booth said it's likely Smith and Taylor face this specific charge because of their age, and the age of the victim.
"When you see the ages of the accused and the age of the victim, that puts it into what would've been capitol murder, which is now aggravated murder," Booth explained. "There's a statute that says the willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing of a person under the age of 14 by a person over 21 qualifies as aggravated murder."
Booth said people who face aggravated murder charges, if convicted, typically face up to life in prison.
Both Chante and Taylor were arraigned in Portsmouth Juvenile Court Monday morning. They remain in Portsmouth City Jail without bond.