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St. Paul mother charged in death of 2-year-old daughter

ST. PAUL (AP) — Ramsey County prosecutors have charged the mother of a St. Paul toddler with murder in the death of the 2-year-old girl.

According to a criminal complaint, Ciashia Lee told police she lost her temper and kept hitting her daughter because she wouldn’t stop crying and woke up her infant.

The child’s father, who was also arrested, has been released from custody Tuesday, officials said. The 29-year-old mother has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder.

The father called police early Sunday where officers found Melody Vang dead on the back porch of her family’s home, officials said. An autopsy determined she died of head trauma, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

The man told police he found the toddler was cold to the touch and that he wrapped her in blankets and took her to the porch so the other children in the home wouldn’t see her.

Lee is being held on $1 million bond.

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