SYRACUSE, NY – Police are continuing their relentless search for the body of a 5-year-old girl suspected to have been killed by her mother. The mother, Latasha Mott, 29, is currently facing court charges in Syracuse related to her daughter’s death.
Mott reportedly pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of first-degree manslaughter and concealment of a corpse. According to numerous reports, court documents suggest that Mott is accused of an incident in January in which she repeatedly hit her daughter, Nefertiti Harris, with a belt while the child was showering.
Further allegations from prosecutors claim that Harris’s subsequent death was a direct result of Mott’s actions. In addition, Mott unlawfully concealed her daughter’s body in a forest area following her death.
As Mott faced court proceedings, the authorities continued to search for Harris’s body in a city park and a field in Eastwood, a region close to Mott’s apartment. The usage of rakes, buckets, and a drone signaled a comprehensive search effort. Police emphasized that the search operation would continue until they obtained all the required evidence for their investigation.
Family members who were worried about not being in contact with Harris alerted the Syracuse police, leading to the case being deemed as missing. The ongoing police investigation led to intense interrogation of Mott regarding her daughter’s whereabouts. During questioning, she confessed to killing the child and hiding the body, according to District Attorney William Fitzpatrick.
While the case proceeds with Mott pleading not guilty, she remains detained at the Onondaga County Justice Center with no bail option.