Body-camera video shows arrest of Cleveland mother charged in daughters’ deaths and suitcase burials
What the newly released video shows
Newly released police body-camera video documents the arrest of a 28-year-old Cleveland woman now facing two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of her daughters, whose bodies were found buried in separate suitcases on the city’s East Side. The footage captures officers taking the suspect into custody after investigators developed probable cause and executed a search warrant at a residence in the 700 block of East 162nd Street.
The arrest came less than 48 hours after the bodies were discovered on March 2, 2026, in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue. Investigators found the second suitcase and victim nearby during the initial response.
Timeline of the investigation and charges
March 2, 2026: A dog walker discovered a partially buried suitcase in a field area near Ginn Academy; police responding to the call located a second suitcase and victim nearby.
March 4, 2026: After canvassing the area, conducting witness interviews and reviewing available surveillance footage, detectives detained the suspect following execution of a search warrant on East 162nd Street. A third child was found inside the home and taken into protective custody.
March 5, 2026: The suspect was charged with two counts of aggravated murder. The victims were identified as 10-year-old Amor Wilson and 8-year-old Mila Chatman, who were half-sisters. Autopsies were completed, but causes of death were not publicly released.
March 6, 2026: A judge set bond at $2 million.
March 11, 2026: In an initial hearing in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, the judge assigned private counsel and maintained the $2 million bond while the matter moved toward grand jury review.
What investigators have confirmed so far
Authorities have said the victims’ bodies had been at the burial site for some time. Investigators also have stated that the case did not initially match any active missing-persons reports in the region, which complicated early efforts to identify the children.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd has said detectives needed to withhold certain details to protect the integrity of the investigation as it proceeds through the courts.
What remains unknown
Public records and official statements have not disclosed a cause or manner of death. Investigators also have not detailed what evidence led to the arrest beyond confirming the use of intelligence-led investigative strategies, technology, witness interviews, canvassing, surveillance review, and evidence recovered during the search warrant execution.
The case is now positioned for grand jury consideration, which will determine whether the charges proceed by indictment and move toward trial.