A 28-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the deaths of two young sisters whose bodies were discovered stuffed in suitcases and buried in shallow graves in Cleveland. Authorities identified the suspect as Aliyah Henderson, who faces charges of murder and child endangering. The grim discovery was made by a man walking his dog near East 162nd and Midland Avenue.
On Monday evening at 6 p.m., Phillip Donaldson was walking his dog in a new area due to recent snowfall when he uncovered the first suitcase containing a body in a shallow grave. Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd described the scene during a Tuesday news conference: "The caller stated they found what appeared to be a body inside of a suitcase at this location. The officers responded out and located the deceased individual, who was in a shallow grave, inside of a suitcase."
Officers quickly searched the vicinity and found a second shallow grave with another suitcase holding a body. The county medical examiner confirmed the victims were sisters, both juvenile Black females estimated to be between 8.5 and 13 years old for one, and 10.5 and 14 years old for the other. Chief Todd noted the bodies had been dead "for some time" and that the deaths were not recent.
Police body-camera footage captured an officer observing one body "folded in a fetal position." By Wednesday evening, Aliyah Henderson was arrested at her residence across the street from the discovery site during the execution of a search warrant. She was booked into Cuyahoga County Jail on charges of one count each of murder and child endangering.
Sgt. Freddy Diaz explained the investigation's intensity: "Part of the investigation led us to this home. It's been a nonstop, ongoing investigation. Our homicide unit, they have been working around the clock."
Donaldson, who had passed the suspicious pile of dirt for at least a week without realizing its contents, told reporters, "It's really sad to see something like this."
Chief Todd urged the public to share any relevant information: "You know what's happening in your neighborhood, something that seems a little bit off. That's why we're asking anyone who has anything that they believe to be information directly related to or suspicious that they give us a call."
Councilman Michael Polensek expressed outrage: "What kind of monster-demon would do this to two children? Just throw them away like they're garbage? No, not here, not in Collinwood. That don't happen. We're not going to put up with that. There's got to be justice for these two kids."