Murder charges for teen mom of AMBER Alert infant found dead in diaper box

Officials have charged a South Carolina mother who allegedly lied about her infant daughter’s kidnapping hours before she was found dead in a diaper box.

Breanna Lewis, 19, has been charged homicide by child abuse in connection with last month’s death of her 11-month-old daughter, Harlee. An arrest warrant obtained by WSOC-TV stated that Breanna had “inflicted injuries about the body of her 11-month-old daughter that were non-accidental.”

Breanna initially told investigators that a man had assaulted her and took her baby, according to WYFF. However, officials said the black eye visible in her original mugshot was caused by a car accident she was in a week before her daughter’s death.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Harlee’s body was discovered May 29 inside a diaper box located approximately 1,000 yards from her Chesterfield home. Breanna was initially charged with filing a false police report and improper disposal of human remains after she allegedly admitted to fabricating the kidnapping story.

READ More: AMBER Alert infant found dead in diaper box after mother fabricated kidnapping story: Cops

While it remains unclear how Harlee died, WSOC-TV learned that the infant died about six hours before her mother reported her missing. Moreover, Chesterfield County Sheriff Jay Brooks said the coroner mentioned that Harlee was “mighty small” for an 11-month-old.

Officials said Harlee’s father had committed suicide last October. Breanna was in a relationship with a woman who told investigators that Harlee appeared to have been well taken care of, according to WYFF.

A bond hearing for Breanna’s newest charges was scheduled for Thursday morning. Reports indicated that a judge implemented a gag order last week preventing anyone from commenting on the case.

[Featured image: Breanna Lewis/Police handout; Harlee Lewis/South Carolina Law Enforcement Division]