MARKIS DAHMS - 15 Months/ Accused: Mother-Ashley Cameron - Onowa ID

The mother of a 15-month-old faces first degree murder charges after allegedly forcing the child's head under a faucet.

Ashley Cameron of Onawa is accused of drowning her son, Markis Dahms, on February 11, 2012.

The charges were filed Thursday.

Police say Cameron held Dahms' face under the bath tub faucet while the water was running.

Cameron is being held in the Monona County Jail.

http://www.kwwl.com/story/17590575/iowa-mother-accused-of-drowning-her-son-under-faucet

On Feb. 11, Ashley Cameron made a call from her
Onawa home that her child, Markis Dahms, wasn't breathing and had just
been in the bathtub.

Police say when emergency personnel arrived at 615 12th St., the baby was unresponsive.

And after conducting investigations, including an
autopsy by the state's medical examiner, for the past two months,
authorities believe the death was actually caused by drowning and have
determined it to be a homicide.

All of the evidence we've obtained so far is
enough that warranted the criminal charges. Obviously the state
attorney's office and the Monona County attorney's office felt the same
way," said Jim Fouts, assistant police chief for the Onawa Police
Department.

According to criminal affidavits, Cameron used
"unreasonable force against Dahms, by forcing his head under the bath
tub faucet," and that Dahms could not be reasonably be expected to
protect himself.

"Between the police department, the (Iowa) DCI
and the county attorney's office and attorney general's office that they
felt that sufficient evidence was present to charge murder in the first
degree," said Mitch Mortveldt, special agent for the Iowa Department of
Public Safety..

Neighbors say Cameron had lived on the street for
about a year. They described her as a really good kid, but forgetful.
One neighbor, who declined to go on camera, say she was devastated to
hear the news. Police say Cameron was living alone at the time when her
son died.

"We believe that Ashley acted by herself. She was
with Markis during the time of his death and she was the sole caregiver
for Markis," said Fouts.

Cameron also has a 2 and a 1/2 year old daughter,
Abigail, that is now living with other family members. Thursday Cameron
had her initial court appearance where bond was set at $1 million. She
is being held in the Monona County Jail.

Officials say Cameron's bond review and preliminary hearing will be April 27 at the Monona County Courthouse.
http://www.ktiv.com/story/17589623/more-details-emerge-in-onawa-murder

ONAWA, Iowa -- An Onawa woman has been formally charged with murder for the February drowning death of her son.
Monona
County Attorney Christyne Martens filed a charge of first-degree murder
against Ashley Cameron Thursday in Monona County District Court.
Cameron, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned May 14.
She
was arrested April 18 for the Feb. 11 death of 15-month-old Markis
Dahms. Police say that Cameron held the toddler under a running faucet
in the bathtub in their home until he drowned. Law enforcement officials
have not commented on a possible motive.
The boy was found dead
after officers responded to an emergency call for a child who was not
breathing at Cameron's home in the 600 block of 12th Street. An autopsy
later determined Markis had drowned and that the death was a homicide.
If found guilty as charged, Cameron would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/onawa-woman-charged-with-murder-in-child-s-death/article_5c18b895-4225-5c68-8876-2118e18ff377.html

An Onawa woman accused of drowning her 15-month-old son pleaded not guilty in the case on Monday.Ashley Cameron, 24, is charged in Monona County District Court with first-degree murder and child endangerment.
She
was arrested for the Feb. 11 death of Markis Dahms. Police said that
Cameron held the toddler under a running faucet in the bathtub in their
home until he drowned.
Cameron's trial is scheduled for July 31. She faces life in prison if found guilty.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/onawa-woman-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-in-child-s/article_a276b443-08de-5429-af3f-f2f22007545d.html