Ohio mother and her boyfriend arrested after 2-year-old was found dead from apparent suffocation

ADAMS COUNTY, Ohio (TCN) -- Authorities recently arrested a mother and her boyfriend after a 2-year-old child was found deceased from apparent suffocation.

On the morning of July 1, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office responded to an apartment complex to a report of an unresponsive toddler. Deputies found the 2-year-old and pronounced the child dead at the scene.

Authorities arrested 23-year-old Brian Moser, also known as Terry Smith III, along with the toddler’s mother, 25-year-old Tien Hawkins.

According to WKRC-TV, Moser, who had changed his legal name from Terry Smith III the previous day, initially made the 911 call and said, "Yes. I believe she’s all the way gone. I don’t know if they suffocated last night or what’s going on. There’s no way. I don’t know. I don’t know. She’s dead. We woke up and found her."

At the home, deputies also reportedly discovered the deceased toddler’s two sisters, who both sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Child Protective Services is currently caring for the surviving children.

In a statement obtained by WKRC, Adams County Prosecutor Aaron Haslam said, "We’re also getting statements from the other two children, the 1- and the 5-year-old, trying to figure out where their injuries came from and what caused those injuries."

Adams County Sheriff Kenneth Dick added, "Whether a true act or just an accident, we don’t know at this point, but the bottom line is a 2-year-old child has been lost, and our prayers go out to the family."

According to WKRC, the coroner determined the 2-year-old died of suffocation, but they have not revealed when or how it happened. Toxicology results and reports are pending.

Moser and Hawkins were booked into the Adams County Jail on charges of child endangerment. Additional charges could be forthcoming.

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