Tulsa Mother Booked Into Jail After Toddler's Death

Tulsa police are investigating after the death of a 2-year-old child in east Tulsa. Her cousin went door-to-door with the child, and a neighbor 

Friday, June 26th 2015, 9:30 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Mother Booked Into Jail After Toddler's Death

Tulsa police are investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl, and the child's mother has been arrested in connection with the death. Police say the girl was found after a 13-year-old cousin went door to door with the unresponsive child trying to get help.

The little girl, Charity, had massive abusive injuries, police tell News On 6.

A woman at a nearby home called 911 and gave the toddler CPR, but it was too late. Police served a search warrant at the family's home in the 12600 block of East 27th Street and then arrested the mother, 31-year-old Christina Renee Simmons, on a child abuse complaint Friday morning.

"My baby's gone and I love her and I didn't neglect my baby," Simmons said as she was being placed into a police car for transport to the jail about 11:30 a.m. She then appeared to ramble. "You can turn the camera off now. I can get it on YouTube..."

The girl's two siblings, boys ages 4 and 5, are in protective custody and the 13 year old has been questioned.

The investigation revealed that the child had been left in the care and custody of the teenager while the child's mother left the residence, Officer Leland Ashley said. At some point during the morning, the 13 year old discovered the child was unresponsive and left the residence seeking help.

Detectives said they do not anticipate any additional arrests related to this case.

After the neighbor administered CPR, the baby was taken to a hospital, where police say Simmons refused to cooperate and was asked to leave. She left the hospital and went to her own mother's house. Police went there to talk to her, and she reportedly fainted twice on the way to the police car.

The teenage boy reportedly said he had been asleep then woke up and checked on the child who was not breathing. The cousin also told police he looked for the adult in the house, but they were not around, police say.

Investigators are awaiting autopsy results for the toddler and the official cause and manner of death.

Charity's grandmother Ruby Scott spoke to News On 6 and said her daughter, Christina, would never have hurt Charity. She said the family was in shock when hospital officials told them the girl was dead.

"She told us Charity had passed and went limp," Scott said. "I thought, oh my gosh, how did this happen? [Christina] said [Charity] bumped her head and threw up, and she didn't associate the two, that one thing had to do with the the trauma."

"She's devastated and behind bars and we can't get to her and her child just passed. Charity just passed this morning," Scott said. "That type of evil is not in [Christina's] mind at all. For them to lock her up and not give her time to grieve."

TPD says there are a lot of people yet to interview and many unanswered questions. Because they suspect Charity was abused, her two brothers are in protective custody for medical exams.

Simmons remains jailed in lieu of $50,000 bond.