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Utah mother and her boyfriend charged in the death of her 14-month-old daughter

Related Topics: Child abuse

A Cedar City woman and her boyfriend have been charged with murder and child abuse in connection the April death of the woman’s 14-month-old daughter.

Cherokee May Dea, 24, and Brendan Russell Dalton, 30, were each charged Wednesday in 5th District Court with first-degree felony murder for the death of the girl, identified in court documents as G.L.D.

They each also were charged with three counts of second-degree felony child abuse and one count of third-degree felony child endangerment.

An autopsy determined the child died of blunt force trauma to the brain, charges state. The medical examiner also found older injuries — two rib fractures, and fractures to the child’s right and left arms — that were healing.