GUILTY IA - Cecilia Harris, 20 mos, Dubuque, June 2010

[Joe Friday]

Just drove past the residents. They have two fans in the front door exhausting the air to the outside. Most of the windows have been opened and the storm window in the basement windows have even been removed and are leaning against the foundation of the house. Which leads me to believe there must be a strong odor inside the house.

There is crime tape surrounding the entire property, a crime scene van outside. I could see investigators in the back yard working. The lawn and shrubs are overgrown so it was hard to see what was going on in the back yard. There was a news crew on scene we should be getting some video shortly.

 

[fhc]

The comments here show there won't be much mercy for TSH

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/97677219.html

 

[MsFacetious]

I am guessing the odor isn't from human remains, because those were supposedly found in the backyard. She had a 2 week old baby... maybe she hadn't taken out those diapers yet? Was there any animals?

I am going to hope that is why they are airing out the house.

Just drove past the residents. They have two fans in the front door exhausting the air to the outside. Most of the windows have been opened and the storm window in the basement windows have even been removed and are leaning against the foundation of the house. Which leads me to believe there must be a strong odor inside the house.

There is crime tape surrounding the entire property, a crime scene van outside. I could see investigators in the back yard working. The lawn and shrubs are overgrown so it was hard to see what was going on in the back yard. There was a news crew on scene we should be getting some video shortly.

 

[darlin gal]

The search continues for a missing toddler from Dubuque, but the case has taken a turn.
Officers searched the home of Tamilia Harris, the girl's mother, and found what they believe to be human remains. Those remains are still being examined for identification.


http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=12749611

 

[Lavanda Dolce]

This sweet angel's remains were located on the property. Just horrible
http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/97677219.html

 

[hoppyfrog]

The remains have not yet been positively identified.

 

[LadyL]

I've just about had my limit. Time for a break from WS.

RIP to the child found buried.

 

[Joe Friday]

DUBUQUE - Dubuque police say they have found human remains at the residence of the mother of a missing toddler.

On Thursday, police searched the residence of Tamelia Shonte Harris, who's 20-month-old daughter, Cecilia Denise Harris is the subject of a police search.

Police report that during an exterior search of the property at 1970 St. Joseph Street, investigators located what they believe to be human remains. one investigator told TV9 that the bones they found in the backyard appear to be consistent with those of a small child. The remains were sent to the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office for processing and identification.

Investigators hauled away several items from the home, including a fire pit.

(Snipped)

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/97677219.html

According to the local paper (newspapers website has not been updated yet this morning or I would provide a link) investigators took pictures of a gas and charcoal lighter cans and I quote "At one point, they took photographs of three bottles of accelerate, including charcoal lighter and a gasoline canister." It also says that a yellow flag was placed in the yard near a small fire pit.

With it being reported and shown in the video that the fire pit was removed from the property and the photo's of the accelerate cans being taken I'm thinking that she tried to burn the body to dispose of it. I sure hope she did not burn the child while she was alive. I wonder if this could possibly having something to do with her other child's burning is some sick twisted mental way?

It would be interesting to know if the nice lady that lives next door remembers if there were fires in the back yard on a regular basis or maybe just sometime around Memorial Day when the child went missing and if she had been questioned by LE about this.

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=288088

Saturday, July 3, 2010
BY COURTNEY BLANCHARD TH STAFF WRITER

While chasing leads to locate a missing toddler, police found what they believe to be a small child's remains in the backyard of the girl's home.

Police began to search for the girl on Wednesday, nearly one month after anyone reported last seeing 20-month-old Cecilia Harris.

 

[MsFacetious]

I'm a little curious why the nice lady next door didn't say something when one of the kids was "missing" in the first part of June...

Maybe she is the one who called in the tip. Who knows. But if you think about it... this child would have died about two weeks before this woman gave birth again. Wow. I thought I'd seen cold... but I think that's probably even more cold.

I am just hoping there wasn't something else in the house and that it was horrible housekeeping causing the smell.

 

[laura08]

It has not been confirmed yet they are daughters remains, but daughter ismissing and mother lied about her where abouts.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-missingchild-moth,0,5241964.story

DUBUQUE, Iowa — Investigators believe the human remains found on the Dubuque property where a woman charged in connection with the disappearance of a 20-month-old girl lived are of a small child.

Police have offered few details on the remains found in Tamelia Harris' backyard.

She's been charged with felony neglect or abandonment of a dependent person after allegedly giving false information about the whereabouts of Cecilia Denise Harris.



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Cecilia was last seen about a month ago.

Authorities allege 32-year-old Tamelia Harris told investigators she sent the girl to live with her grandmother in North Carolina. The grandmother later told police she hadn't seen the child.

Harris later said she sent the girl to live with a friend in Davenport.

She's in custody at Dubuque County Jail and couldn't be reached for comment.

 

[panthera]

Poor little Cecilia. :cry:

 

[Beyond Belief]

I hope they give her the death penalty if this state has it. I have had enough of these sicko's killing these babies.

 

[hoppyfrog]

The thread for Cecilia is at

IA IA - Cecilia Denise Harris - 20 months old - Dubuque - Early June, 2010 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[nurselady]

So sad!!

 

[PMLsmom]

Bump, any more info? TIA

 

[Joe Friday]

This isn't sounding very good.


Social worker: Harris said daughter had "bad accident"
By Courtney Blanchard

After police found blood-spattered window blinds, bed sheets and children’s scissors in the home of Tamelia Harris, Harris reportedly told a social worker that there was a “bad accident with my daughter” and she “didn’t have a funeral for the baby,” according to court documents filed this week.

Harris is currently in custody on a charge of felony neglect or abandonment of a dependent person. Last week, police kicked off a search for Harris’ 20-month-old daughter, Cecelia, after an anonymous tip that the girl was sent to live with someone else. While searching for the girl, police discovered Friday what they believe to be the remains of a small child in Harris’ yard. The remains have not been identified.

Police executed two search warrants in the home. In documents related to the first search, police report that they found a number of items with a “dark reddish stain.” Friends of Harris reported helping her move a bunk bed and noticing a bad smell. They also reported that Tamelia was burning items in a fire pit in the backyard, according to court documents.


http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=288353

 

[Joe Friday]

Here is a comment about Tamelia's temper on a blog site from one of her co-workers.

I worked with Tamelia for about 3 years at McDonalds. It’s been about 5 years sense I worked with her last. I was a shift manager and she was a kitchen employee, at the best of times she was loud belligerent and for lack of a better word ignorant. You had to walk on thin line around her temper, many times I was amazed at how fast she went from calm to irate. I’ve seen here a few times after I changed jobs and she was always polite and friendly. I think she has at the very lest a major anger problem, if not a deeper mental disorder.

http://www.woodysdubuque.com/comment-page-5/#comments

 

[Joe Friday]

The police have released that the remains found in the backyard are that of a human....

(Snipped)

A mother behind bars for child neglect and abandonment says her baby is dead, and she didn't even have a funeral. Dubuque Police now confirm that the remains found in the backyard of that missing toddler's house,are human remains. Nobody has seen missing Cecilia "CC" Harris for weeks. Today we spoke to a friend of Tamelia who says she's lost hope of ever seeing Cecilia Harris ever again.

Court documents show that Tamelia Harris said a lot to a social worker in jail.
The mother told the social worker that “there was a bad accident with my daughter.” Harris went on to say that the baby passed away.

http://kgan.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/kgan_vid_2921.shtml

 

[Joe Friday]

Police release details of a text message that Tamelia received from a friend asking about Cecilia and the bad smell in the house.


A 'bad accident'
Police search of Tamelia Harris' home finds dark red stains on scissors and sheets



(Snipped)

Prior to her arrest, Harris allowed investigators to look at her cell phone. A text message received June 30 read: "they said u told jan u did sumthin real bad n kiki said wen she went up there it smelled really bad n u wouldn't let her clean tha basement or take tha garbage out n she want to no wat u burned cuz it wasent garbage cuz its still n tha basement."

Harris told her grandmother that Cecilia's head had been injured and she wouldn't take her to the doctor because she was afraid of the Department of Human Services. Harris told police that Cecilia fell on the last steps heading down to the basement.

A friend of Harris said that in early May, Harris told her that Cecilia wouldn't stop crying. She picked her up by the arms, shook her and threw her at the side of the bed, where the toddler landed on the floor, according to court documents. One of Harris' children said that he had heard the baby crying in her mother's closet.

Other friends reported helping Harris move a bunk bed out of the home. They said it smelled bad, but Harris said the smell came from garbage.

(Snipped)

One of the children, who shared a room with Cecilia, said that she returned home on the last day of school to find Cecilia absent. Her clothes were missing from the dresser, replaced by toys.

Police said the investigation continues, as they wait for forensic results. Meanwhile, Harris' trial for the abandonment charge has been scheduled for Aug. 30.

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=288422