What to Know
- The suspect, Kia Divband, told detectives the baby began choking and vomiting as he fed her milk as she sat in her stroller.
- Prosecutors said the baby's injuries revealed her death was caused by repeated physical abuse.
- The baby, Millie Lilliston, died April 22, three days after she was taken to the hospital.
A Maryland day care owner is due in court Friday for a preliminary hearing in the death of a 6-month-old baby.
The baby, Miller "Millie" Lilliston, died after being in Kia Divband's care, authorities said.
Divband is charged with second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree child abuse. He is being held on $2 million bond.
Police were called to the hospital April 19 after Lilliston was brought in unresponsive. The baby had been at Little Dreamers Creative Learning Center, a licensed home day care provider on Grandin Avenue in Rockville, Montgomery County Police said.
Doctors found Lilliston had multiple injuries that were the result of repeated incidents of abuse, police said. The baby died three days later, on April 22.
Divband, 35, told detectives Lilliston began choking and vomiting as he fed her milk as she sat in her stroller. When the infant stopped vomiting, he took her into a bathroom to clean her face and saw she was unresponsive and her lips had turned blue.
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He said he performed CPR and yelled to his wife to call 911.
At Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, doctors saw several injuries on the baby, including rib fractures and bruises on her face and body, according to police. Lilliston then was flown to Children's National Medical Center.
Doctors found injuries in various stages of healing, which were the result of "non-accidental, inflicted trauma," police said.
Police and prosecutors said Lilliston's injuries, along with evidence recovered from the day care, revealed her death was caused by repeated physical abuse.
Her death was ruled a homicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries.
Divband's lawyer, Terrence McGann, has said his client is innocent.
Little Dreamers was registered with the Maryland State Department of Education's Office of Child Care. The business was registered in July 2015 and was not due for another inspection until this July, state officials said. No complaints about the center had been filed with the state.
Little Dreamers was inspected after Divband was charged, and the owner relinquished the license. The day care center was closed with a suspended license, state officials said.
