Texas Woman Charged With Murder After Allegedly Stabbing, Strangling 5-Year-Old Daughter

A Texas woman has been charged with capital murder after allegedly stabbing and strangling her five-year-old daughter.

Per a regional report from KPRC-TV, the woman in question—Melissa Towne, 37—had her bond set at $15 million on Monday. In an initial statement provided during a press conference, Sgt. Ben Beall of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office alleged Towne showed up at a local Tomball hospital on Sunday afternoon and confessed to the killing.

“She notified hospital personnel that she had killed her daughter and that her daughter was in her gray Jeep Cherokee,” Beall said during the presser. “The nurses came out, checked on her, had a doctor come out. They pronounced the child dead at 12:10 p.m.”

First to respond to the scene were officers with the Tomball Police Department. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, however, later took over the investigation. Towne is alleged to have stabbed her daughter in the neck at Spring Creek Park in Tomball. She’s also alleged to have strangled the five-year-old for up to 45 minutes.

In a follow-up statement shared Monday, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez added that the child was found “partially wrapped in plastic and mesh bags” when Towne arrived at the hospital. Additionally, the child had “what appeared to be a laceration and possible ligature marks” on her neck. Per Gonzalez, Towne was booked into county jail after the Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted a capital murder charge.

Complex has reached out to the Harris County D.A. for additional comment. This story may be updated.