“It was something so simple… Youโre feeling stressed, give me her,โ the father said
Angel Saunders has been a writer at PEOPLE since 2023. She previously worked at iHeartMedia, IndieWire and REVOLT.
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Credit :ย AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
NEED TO KNOW
Two young girls were found deceased with their bodies stuffed into suitcases in Cleveland
Authorities with the Cleveland Division of Police arrested and charged 28-year-old Aliyah Henderson within 48 hours of the discovery
Now, the father of one of the girls is speaking out for the first time
A Cleveland father is speaking out after his daughter was one of two young girlsย found dead and stuffed into suitcasesย in a field.
โI just feel useless. I couldnโt save my daughter,โ the grieving parent, who spoke to Ohio toldย Nexstarโs WJWย on the condition of anonymity in a Thursday, March 5 interview, said. He was identified as DeShaun Chatman in a separate interview with Clevelandโsย WOIO.
The bodies of 8-year-old Mila Chatman and 10-year-old Amor Wilson were discovered on Monday, March 2 when someone walking their dog stumbled upon one of the suitcases.
The individual contacted authorities, who arrived and found the second suitcase nearby.
A spokesperson for the Cleveland Division of Police confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday that 28-year-old Aliyah Henderson had been charged with two counts of aggravated murder in connection with the girls’ deaths.
Citing the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office,ย ABC Newsย reported that Mila and Amor were half-siblings.
Milaโs father told WJW he had not seen Mila in four years and felt โiced out,โ despite what he says were repeated attempts to gain custody. He also said that Amorโs father attempted to be in the 10-year-oldโs life.
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2 Young Girls Found Dead Inside Suitcases in Cleveland Were Related, Medical Examiner Says
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โWhen it was something so simple. Just give me her. Youโre feeling stressed, give me her,โ Milaโs father told WJW. โIโve been trying to get her for six years. Youโve been ducking me. You told me I was too family-oriented. Thatโs why you ainโt giving my daughter. Been tried, tried, tried. Then talked to CPS numerous occasions.โ
He claimed that CPS would not remove the girls from their mother’s custody because they had a home and a bed. PEOPLE has reached out to CPS for comment.
โI donโt know how long sheโs been gone, how long sheโs been dead. I donโt know how long sheโs been missing, but it could have been prevented,โ he said.
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Aliyah Henderson.Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department
โThese were two young lives with their entire futures ahead of them,โ Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
โOur detectives worked tirelessly and with great care to identify those responsible. Investigations of this nature require patience, precision, and discretion,” Todd continued.ย “Unlike what is often portrayed on television, every detail cannot be shared publicly. Certain information must remain confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure justice for these victims. That careful and methodical work allowed our detectives to develop the evidence needed to make quick identification of a person of interest, ultimately resulting in an arrest.”
Henderson was located at a residence and arrested within 48 hours of Mila and Amorโs bodies being found, police said.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forย PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterย for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
A third child who appeared to be in good health was also found inside the home and placed in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services, according to police.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examinerโs Office will work to determine a cause of death for Mila and Amor. The investigation remains ongoing.
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