Mother charged with murder in death of 2-year-old son
A mother has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son, according to Memphis Police.
The department said on Twitter that 25-year-old Davida Wooden was arrested in the death of Jaylen Dodson.
Just before noon on May 10, police were called to the 3400 block of Southern, where the boy was found unresponsive. He was taken to Baptist Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"The death was ruled a homicide due to multiple blunt force trauma injuries," police said.
Wooden has been charged with aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect and first-degree murder.
She was listed in the Shelby County Jail Saturday morning.
According to an affidavit, the child had "visible bruising" on his neck and arms. He suffered a lacerated liver and spleen, trauma to his brain, and "over half the blood in his body was located in his abdomen."
Police brought Wooden in for questioning on Friday, according to the affidavit, after the medical examiner ruled Jaylen's death a homicide. Wooden was the only person with the child in the 48 hours before his death, the affidavit said, and that she told police he was disciplined with a belt on his back.
The boy also fell down a step and hit his head on a bathtub, Wooden reportedly told police, but she did not seek medical treatment for him, according to the affidavit.
"She would never explain the other massive internal injuries," the document said.
Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.