Prosecutors have decided not to pursue the death penalty for the mother accused of killing and burying her little girl
Malikah Bennett, 31, will not face the death penalty, prosecutors announced on December 10, 2021. Malikah was arrested in May 2021, charged with murdering her own daughter Mejelic Sandez, 4, in Charlotte, NC. Even if Malikah is found guilty, the death penalty will not be an option.
Mejelic’s grandmother Tammy Moffett, 53, was arrested in connection with Mejelic’s murder.
An autopsy report revealed Mejelic was malnourished and dehydrated, Mejelic also had a clump of hair stuffed down her throat.
Arrest warrants show that Malikah made her 13-year-old daughter help bury little sweet Mejelic in the ground.
Mejelic had lived with her mother, Malikah Bennett and seven other children in the home on Braden Drive.
In or around August-September 2020 Malikah forced Mejelic to stand in the laundry room as punishment for defecating in her pants, the warrant says.
Mejelic was made by her mother to stand in the room for 3 days without sitting down or leaving, according to the warrant. Mejelic’s breathing was on and off by the third day.
Mejelic eventually got too weak and fell out the back door, hitting her head on the hard ground.
Mejelic became unconscious from the fall. Malikah all of a sudden decided to help and tried doing CPR on Mejelic to no avail. Mejelic died within minutes.
Malikah washed Mejelic and placed her body in two black plastic trash bags, according to the warrant.
Malikah returned home and dug a deep hole. After digging the hole, Malikah made her 13-year-old daughter pick up her dead sister’s body, place it in the ground, and cover it with dirt, the warrant says.
Mejelic’s dead body laid buried in the ground for several months. It was not until May 2021 that her body was finally discovered by police.
Mejelic had serious physical injuries, including bruises, swelling, and black eyes when she was found dead. Her body was badly decomposed.
In May 2021 officials were led to the home after several complaints from friends and family members regarding the disappearance of Mejelic. When police arrived at Malikah’s house door, she told them that she dropped Mejelic off with a family member in August 2020.
Officials didn’t believe Malikah and they dug up Mejelic’s dead body in May 2021.
Malikah was arrested and charged with felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury, felony concealing a death, and 1st degree murder.
