Police in Colorado have arrested a woman following an investigation into a report of a missing 5-year-old girl.
Alexus Tanielle Nelson, 27, was arrested last week on one charge of attempting to influence a public servant.
Charges of child abuse resulting in death, tampering with a deceased human body, and tampering with physical evidence were added Thursday after Crimes Against Children detectives located human remains of the 5-year-old child in a closet inside her apartment.
“We have arrested Maha Li’s mother, Alexus Nelson, after Crimes Against Children detectives located human remains of a child in Nelson’s apartment,” said police in a social post.
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The charges stem from about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Aurora911 received a call from the child’s grandmother, who reported her daughter, Nelson, had made concerning statements via text.
The woman also raised concerns about the safety of their granddaughter.
Officers responded to Nelson’s apartment in the 1000 block of South Elkhart Way. Nelson told police she gave her daughter up for adoption but couldn’t provide officers with any records.
Investigators couldn’t independently verify the adoption through state records, prompting Nelson’s initial arrest for attempting to influence a public servant.
Nelson is being held on $100,000 bond at the Arapahoe County Detention Center.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with any information about this case is urged to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous.
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