CLEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland Municipal Court judge set bond at $2 million Friday morning for a 28-year-old woman accused of killing her two daughters and disposing of their bodies in suitcases.
Aliyah Henderson of Cleveland is charged with two counts of aggravated murder in connection with the deaths of her daughters, Amor Wilson, 10, and Mila Chatman, 8.
Henderson has no record of violence and no criminal history, but the judge who granted the bond said he was concerned about the safety of the community.
The case unfolded over several days this week. On Monday, a man walking his dog spotted a partially buried suitcase in a field near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue. Authorities located a second suitcase nearby.
There was no indication of how long the bodies were in the field, and the cause of death was unknown.
On Wednesday, the Office of the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner announced the girls were half-sisters. Later that day, police executed a warrant at a home in the 700 block of East 162nd Street, where Henderson was arrested and later booked into the Cuyahoga County Jail.
Another child, who was found unharmed inside the home, was placed in custody of the Department of Children & Family Services. Authorities did not confirm if the child was related to Henderson.
County spokeswoman Jennifer Ciaccia said the county could not offer any specific details related to the case and Henderson’s children.
“We are profoundly saddened by the deaths of these two young girls which is a tragedy for their families and our entire community,” she said. “Due to the active criminal investigation into these deaths as well as the confidentiality obligation of Ohio law, we are unable to disclose any further information at this time.”
