Two Babysitters Arrested In Brutal Death Of 1-Year-Old Left In Their Care

Kali Moore was found 'unresponsive' and Dijon Smith and Kiya Moore were charged for the killing after giving conflicting stories to police officers.

Two people have been arrested and are facing charges of murder after a 1-year-old died while in their care. The girl suffered multiple skull fractures, brain bleed, and abdominal trauma.

According to Law & Crime, police officers responded to a call from LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis at around 3 a.m. on Aug. 17 after the child, Kali Moore, was brought into the medical facility. Moore was taken there suffering from cardiac arrest and died an hour after arriving at the hospital. Thirty-four-year-old Dijon Smith and 21-year-old Kiya Moore, who is reportedly related to the child, were babysitting the infant around 5 p.m. that day. Police officers picked them up and charged both adults with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges.

The two suspects are being held at the Shelby County Jail without bond.

Doctors stated that Kali had skull and neck fractures and “massive bruising” on her back.

Once in custody, Smith and Moore gave investigators “conflicting statements” about what happened and blamed each other. Moore allegedly told detectives that Kali was left alone with Smith and was “unresponsive” when she returned. She told the detectives that Smith wouldn’t explain what happened and instructed her to say she fell asleep with the girl, and that Kali had fallen off the bed, hitting her head on the nightstand.

Yet, Smith allegedly told detectives that he heard Kali crying in the backroom and Kiya yelling at her.

The affidavit states, “He then heard Moore slam Kali into the floor, walls and wooden furniture six to 10 times. He advised that he asked her what she was doing and she stated nothing but Kali was crying too much and getting on her nerves. He advised that when he entered the room Moore stopped and he observed Kali unresponsive.”

Police officers searched the residence and stated that there was no baby food there and it was unclear if Kali had a safe place to sleep.

According to Action News 5, both suspects were being held under a $3 million bond and are scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 9.

Kiya Moore, 21, and her boyfriend, Dejon Smith, 34 were each placed under a $3 million bond Thursday morning after appearing in court. https://t.co/HaIJ5s2aKF pic.twitter.com/iHL33yEP7a

— Action News 5 (@WMCActionNews5) August 22, 2024