Markham child death case: Mom's two-year probation sentence sparks outrage
Illinois mom's two-year probation sentence in child death case sparks outrage
Local activists are demanding answers after the mother of a baby girl found dead in a burning Markham home in 2017 was sentenced to two years of probation.
MARKHAM, Ill. - The sentence in Ana Marie Townsend’s case has renewed calls from Chicago-area activists for answers about her death and whether anyone else may be held responsible.
Markham homicide case
Melody Townsend was sentenced to 24 months of probation, according to court records. The probation term began Wednesday and is scheduled to end Oct. 24, 2028.
Melody Townsend | Provided
The records list two offenses: concealing a homicidal death and endangering a child under circumstances involving death. It identifies Judge Tiana S. Blakely as the judicial officer.
The backstory:
Ana Marie was about 1 year old when firefighters found her body in a burning, abandoned home at 15481 Hamlin St. in Markham on July 3, 2017. The Cook County medical examiner ruled her death a homicide and noted she had suffered physical trauma unrelated to the fire.
For about two years, the child was known as "Baby Jane Doe." DNA testing later identified her as Ana Marie Townsend.
Police announced in 2023 that Melody Townsend had been brought back to Illinois from California to face charges. Police said then that other people might also be arrested.
What activists are asking
Activists Andrew Holmes and Lisette Guillen held an 11 a.m. news conference outside the Markham courthouse Thursday to address the probation sentence.
In a statement, Holmes and Guillen said they believe the sentence does not reflect the seriousness of the case. They also called for an explanation of the sentencing decision and a public update on the investigation.
"The sentence that you gave her, whether she has mental [issues] or not, you knew that was your child. You knew that was your baby. That baby was placed in a plastic bag, thrown in a house and set on fire," Holmes said.
The activists want to know whether anyone else may be held responsible for Ana Marie’s death.
"Now, what we're asking for today, we know that police officers did their due diligence. They did their work. What happened is, when it hit this end stage, mother only received two years of probation and was asked to get some counseling. Now, the issue is, is that there's still another person out there. There's still another person that helped with this murder," Guillen said.
The Source: The information in this story came from Cook County court records, local activists, and previous FOX Chicago reporting.