A 31-year-old York County woman is facing a homicide charge after investigators believe a 16-month-old girl in her care who was left unattended for several hours became entangled in a safety seat harness, causing the child to choke to death.
First responders were called to the 80 block of Challenger Avenue in the Landing at Langley military housing in Bethel Manor on Aug. 12 for a reported unresponsive toddler, according to a post on the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. The 16-month-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined the 16-month-old and an 8-year-old had been left in the care of Kyla Denise Ziegenhagen, whom they believe left the children unattended for several hours. During that time, the toddler is believed to have choked to death on a safety seat harness, according to the post.
Ziegenhagen faces two felony counts of child abuse and one count of felony homicide, a charge levied against someone who is believed to have caused the accidental death of a person while in the commission of another felony.
She is being held at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond.
Correction: A previous version of this story spelled the suspect’s name Kayla. Her correct name is Kyla.
