KAITLYN HEAD - 3 yo - Rockford IL

A mother is behind bars, and so is her boyfriend after a small child is found dead inside a Rockford home.
Police were called to 614 11th Street around 8:00 am Friday. That's where
they found
3 year old Kaitlyn Head, who wasn't breathing. She was
pronounced dead at the scene.After an investigation by police
detectives, Kaitlyn's mother Melanie M. Grant, 29 of Rockford was
arrested.
Grant's boyfriend Duran Johnson, 37 was arrested too.
Both
are being held in the Winnebago County jail on first degree murder
charges.

ROCKFORD — A 3-year-old girl allegedly died at the hands of her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, police said.

Kaitlyn T. Head was pronounced dead Friday morning inside her home in the 600 block of 11th Street.

Personnel from the city’s fire and police departments were dispatched
at 8 a.m. to the residence on a report of a 3-year-old child not
breathing. When they arrived, the girl was already deceased.

An autopsy revealed evidence of trauma to her body.

Deputy Chief Greg Lindmark called Kaitlyn’s death “a senseless tragic act.”

Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia said, “This was a very difficult case for everyone involved. It’s very, very sad.”

It was not clear how long Kaitlyn had been dead before rescue personnel arrived.

“The cause of death is pending further forensic testing and toxicology,” Fiduccia said.

What police were initially calling a death investigation quickly turned into a homicide investigation after the autopsy.

Kaitlyn’s mother, Melanie M. Grant, 29, and her boyfriend, Duran
Johnson, 37, both of the 11th Street residence, were charged with
first-degree murder and lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.

Kaitlyn’s two siblings, ages 4 and 10, were taken into protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“There were indications they had been battered also,” Lindmark said. “Possible further charges are pending.”


Throughout the morning, the older white two-flat was the scene of
numerous investigators who questioned family members living in the upper
half of the residence, while crime scene technicians photographed and
collected and removed evidence from the lower half where Kaitlyn and her
family lived.

Lindmark would not say if the trauma to Kaitlyn was caused by a weapon,
but he did say, “It (Kaitlyn’s injuries) appeared to have occurred over
a period of time.”

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x13287144/Two-jailed-on-murder-charges-in-toddlers-death

Two people indicted for murder of young Rockford girl


Posted: Apr 13, 2011 9:56 PM EDT

By Katie Nilsson -


Duran Johnson




Melanie Grant



ROCKFORD (WREX) - A Winnebago County Grand Jury indicts a Rockford mother and her boyfriend for killing a little girl.

Melanie Grant and Duran Johnson face murder, aggravated battery of a child, aggravated battery with a weapon, aggravated domestic battery and intimidation charges. Police say the pair beat Grant's daughter 3 year old Kaitlyn Head to death at a home on 11th Street last month.

Two other children in the home at the time were taken into protective custody.



http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=14442662