Crime & Safety

WATCH: Assault Charge Elevated To Murder After 6 Month Old Dies

A caretaker and family member of a 6 month old girl has been charged with murder after the child died Wednesday morning.

TPD Captain Marty Sellers addresses the media on Wednesday to announce elevated charges in the case.
TPD Captain Marty Sellers addresses the media on Wednesday to announce elevated charges in the case. (Ryan Phillips, Tuscaloosa Patch)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - An initial charge of first degree assault has been upgraded to murder for a woman currently in custody after a six month old girl she was caring died Wednesday morning. The child was first found unresponsive Monday afternoon at a residence in the 3000 block of 35th Avenue, which prompted the investigation.

Investigators with the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit charged Tiffany Washington, 30, with aggravated child abuse and first degree assault after the initial call on Monday when the woman told deputies that she found the child unresponsive and began to perform CPR.

The six-month-old victim was identified Wednesday as Jordynn Taylor.

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TPD Captain Marty Sellers, speaking on behalf of the multi-agency unit, said the child died Wednesday morning and Washington's assault charge was upgraded accordingly. Her bond has now been raised to $150,000 on the murder charge and she is still charged with aggravated child abuse — also a felony.

Sellers said the specific facts of the case at this point did not support a capital murder charge, which comes after investigators consulted with District Attorney Hays Webb. He also said Washington, while not the child's parent, is a relative and was also taking care of the victim's sibling. Investigation into possible abuse of the victim's sibling, who Sellers said is currently with family, is ongoing and could result in further charges.

Few other details in the case were released due to the ongoing nature of the case.

The investigation marks the third infant homicide investigated by the unit this year, as 2020 comes to close, and the 22nd homicide overall.

Washington remains in the Tuscaloosa County Jail.

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