Police Say Broken Arrow Girl's Death Suspicious

The death of a 2-year-old girl who reportedly struck her head in a fall from a crib appears to be suspicious, according to police.<br> <br>Officers and doctors initially reported that Shelby Renee Brown's

Saturday, November 6th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The death of a 2-year-old girl who reportedly struck her head in a fall from a crib appears to be suspicious, according to police.

Officers and doctors initially reported that Shelby Renee Brown's injuries were caused in an accidental fall on Oct. 28 at a Broken Arrow residence where Darlene Dulcinea Huey was operating an unlicensed day-care. The child died on Oct. 30.

But Doctors at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa said "injuries that the child sustained could not have been from a fall from a baby bed onto a carpeted floor," according to an affidavit signed by Detective Pat O'Brien of the Broken Arrow Police Department.

Sgt. Heath Arning said Friday that investigators are waiting for information from the state Medical Examiner's Office in Tulsa before any possible criminal action.

The toddler did not appear to have any marks or visible trauma, "so we're looking at what may have caused the brain to slam into the inside of the skull," Arning said.

Ms. Huey told officers "that she placed the child in the crib while she attempted to stop other children from exiting the residence and that after exiting the room she heard a 'thump' at which time she went back and discovered the child laying on the ground (unconscious)," according to the affidavit.

The new information "gives us reason to believe something else may have happened," Arning said.