Woman accused of killing toddler taken into custody

CLAIRTON, Pa. — A woman who police say is responsible for the death of a 23-month-old girl in Clairton turned herself in on Monday.

Deasha Ringgold is charged with homicide and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the death of Aubree Sherrell, Allegheny County police said Monday.

An unresponsive Sherrell was taken to a hospital on April 27 and later pronounced dead, police said. An investigation determined Aug. 10 that Sherrell’s death was a homicide, and a warrant was issued for Ringgold on Monday.

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Police said the girl died from strangulation and had bruises around her neck.

Ringgold was dating Sherrell's father and was babysitting her the day she died.

She allegedly told police she put the little girl to bed in her apartment on Glenn Drive in Clairton and went to sleep herself. According to investigators, she told them she found Sherrell lying on her back and her lips were blue.

Police said Ringgold told them she took Sherrell to the hospital right away, but cellphone records show that an hour before she did, she allegedly Googled the following:

• "How to do CPR on a baby?"
• "How to wake up a knocked out person"
• "My friend got choked out, what do I do?"

The little girl died back in April, but Ringgold was just charged after the autopsy and police investigation.

According to the complaint, the baby's father was at work when it happened and has not been charged.

Cox Media Group