ARLINGTON, TX (RNN/CNN) - Two adults have been charged with injury to a child after two-year-old Aniyah Darnell died early Saturday morning, police say.
According to Lt. Chris Cook, Shamonica Page and Derick Roberson were initially arrested for outstanding warrants, but those charges were upgraded after the toddler’s death.
"We believe there was human intervention that caused this child to stop breathing and to sustain the injuries that she had. Based upon that, and the interviews we received this afternoon, we upgraded the charges to injury to a child first-degree felony for the woman, and a third-degree injury to a child by omission for the man that we arrested," said Cook.
According to documents, Page admitted to striking the victim with a belt on numerous occasions as a form of punishment.
The affidavit states, Page was frustrated with the child for going to the bathroom in her clothes and was trying to teach her a lesson.
During the interview, Page also said the child had a severe burn injury on her buttocks, but she tried “home remedies” to heal the injury instead of seeking medical attention.
Despite the serious burn, Page admitted to police that she would continue to discipline and punish the child by striking her in the injured area with a belt or her hand.
Arlington Police say the little girl's birth mother is heartbroken.
Page started taking care of Aniyah for the child’s mother back in August, according to local media reports.
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