(Memphis) The mother accused of killing her 7-week-old baby could face the death penalty.
Andrea Walker faced a judge Tuesday being charged with first-degree murder.
“She is not cooperating with us at this point. She is not making any additional statements to us,” said MPD Director Toney Armstrong. “It’s tough. You know I’m a father myself, and it is pretty tough.”
Armstrong said Walker isn’t confessing to killing baby Aniston, but when police found her little girl face down in a ditch in Millington Sunday, they put Walker in handcuffs.
Walker is charged with first-degree murder in perpetration of aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder in perpetration of child neglect.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich explained her charges like this: “If you go into a bank to commit a robbery, and during the course of that robbery, you shoot a teller. You didn’t walk into that bank intending to kill someone. You intended to commit a robbery, but during the course of committing the robbery, you killed someone. That’s what perpetration of a felony means.”
According to state law, Walker could face the death penalty, life in prison, or life with parole.
Until Weirich makes her decision, police are waiting on an autopsy report, and they aren’t ruling out any possibilities.
Armstrong said there could be more charges and more people involved in the crime. No word on when the autopsy report will be ready.
“Again, the investigation continues. it would have been extremely helpful if she provided additional information to the events that occurred leading up to this child’s death,” said Armstrong.
Walker told police she left the baby home with her 3-year-old son when she took her 5-year-old to school.
When she got home, baby Aniston wasn’t there.
She was originally charged with aggravated child abuse.
Weirich said she is meeting with Walker’s attorney to discuss if those charges will be thrown out.