Iesha Nichelle Copelind, 28, murdered her one-year-old daughter by drowning her last month, according to the chief of police.
Police chief Stephen Ignacio has revealed the arrest of the woman, who recently moved to Guam and has no other known children or history of child abuse.
Ms. Copelind was the person rescuers saved from a suicide attempt at Two Lovers Point last month. According to Mr. Ignacio, she had her baby strapped to her chest at the time; and the baby appeared to rescuers to be lifeless.
”She was drowned by the mother,” Mr. Ignacio said.
The rescuers that morning were able to secure the baby prior to rescuing Copelind, and transported the baby to Guam Regional Medical City, where she was pronounced dead.
Mr. Ignacio confirmed the murder occurred at a residence. There are no other suspects in the murder, he said. The announcement follows Ms. Copelind’s treatment at the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center following the suicide attempt, and this weekend’s autopsy of the baby. The visiting medical examiner classified the case as a homicide by asphyxiation due to drowning.
Since Ms. Copelind is in the military, military criminal investigators have been involved in the investigation, Mr. Ignacio said. But since the murder occurred outside the military fenceline, Guam Police Department has jurisdiction over the murder case.
