Toddler found dead in May formally ID’d
ERIE, Pa. (AP) — A northwestern Pennsylvania coroner has positively identified the 14-month-old girl whose body was found stuffed into a suitcase left out with the trash.
Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook says Alayja Coleman was positively identified through maternal DNA obtained from her mother. Police say Tania Coleman had previously told investigators she was the girl’s mother after her body was discovered May 24 on an Erie street.
The Erie Times-News reports testing is still under way to determine an exact cause of death. Cook previously said the girl appeared to have died of nutritional neglect.
Tania Coleman faces charges including criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse. Her boyfriend is charged with concealing the death of a child and other counts.