Cromwell Woman Charged In Death Of Toddler: Police

CROMWELL, CT — A mother has been charged in the death of her 2-year-old daughter in September, according to state police.

The toddler, Deroyal Miller, was found in a river near the site of a crash on Route 9 south near Exit 25 in Cromwell.

Devoni Miller, 24, of Cromwell, was driving a Hyundai Sonata on the Exit 25 on-ramp when her car struck a Kia Forte's rear bumper. Miller's car crossed the center median and hit the metal guardrail on the right shoulder.

Troopers arrived and found Miller's car unoccupied.

Police later determined that she had exited the car with her child and went down an embankment near Route 9 North.

Following an extensive search, first responders found the unresponsive child in a rocky area near the Connecticut River. She was transported to Middlesex Hospital and declared deceased.

The state's chief medical examiner determined the cause of the child's death was "homicide by drowning." The manner of death was ruled as "homicide (submerged in river)."

An investigation found Miller was likely intentionally speeding at the time of the crash, according to an arrest warrant.

Miller left her car after the crash with her child in her arms, telling a witness that “You can’t call 911, I can’t go back there, they are going to take me back there,” according to the arrest warrant.

Police later found her uninjured and wearing only her undergarments. When asked where her clothes were, she said, "I have to get rid of it."

Miller then told Cromwell officers "just kill me" when asked if she wanted to stay warm and sit in a car. She then said she was "not crazy, just a little depressed," and that she should be taken to jail, according to an arrest warrant.

Witnesses interviewed in the investigation said Miller had been acting strange and erratic recently and that she made "multiple physical and emotional outbursts," including yelling at family members and stealing her mother's cell phone.

Miller was charged by Cromwell police with risk of injury to a child, second-degree reckless endangerment, evading responsibilities with injuries, and reckless driving. She was released on a $5,000 bond and turned over to Connecticut State Police.

State police charged her with murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an emergency call, reckless driving, evading responsibility in operation of other vehicles, and risk of injury to a child. She is being held on a $1 million bond.