FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Las Vegas News) — An Arizona mother has pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted her on 21 felony counts in connection with the death of her toddler son, whose body authorities say was found inside a Flagstaff hotel room.
Ochra Manakaja, 32, was indicted by a Coconino County grand jury on charges including first-degree felony murder, second-degree murder, child abuse and abandonment or concealment of a dead body, according to the Coconino County Attorney’s Office.
The charges stem from the May 17 discovery of a deceased 16-month-old child at a hotel in Flagstaff, about 145 miles north of Phoenix. Local police and court-document-based reporting identified the hotel as the La Quinta Inn at 1000 N. Bronco Way.
Authorities have not released every detail of the active prosecution. Prosecutors said the indictment includes one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of second-degree murder, two counts of child abuse likely to produce death or serious physical injury, 16 counts of child abuse not likely to produce death or serious physical injury, and one count of abandonment or concealment of a dead body.
Manakaja entered not-guilty pleas Monday, according to Arizona news reports.
Police were called to the hotel May 17 after a report involving a possible dead infant. When officers arrived, they found the child dead inside one of the rooms. Two other children, ages 7 and 9, were also found in the room and were not injured, police said.
Court documents cited by Arizona news outlets allege Manakaja told investigators she became frustrated in late April because the child was crying and fussy and threw him into a crib. The child’s condition allegedly worsened in the days that followed, with reports describing fever, vomiting, weakness and a lack of appetite.
Investigators allege the child died May 1 and that his body was hidden in a freezer for about two weeks before police were called.
The boy has been identified in court-document-based reporting as Zion. The official county attorney’s release described him as a 16-month-old child.
The medical examiner is expected to determine the child’s cause of death, according to local reporting.
The case was first filed by prosecutors as a three-count criminal complaint. It was later presented to a grand jury, which returned the 21-count indictment. The indictment supersedes the earlier complaint and formally begins proceedings in Coconino County Superior Court.
Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said the case involves one of the criminal justice system’s most important responsibilities: protecting vulnerable people, especially children.
“We recognize the profound impact of this case and will continue to pursue this matter with the seriousness and care it deserves,” Barker said in a statement.
Because the prosecution is ongoing, the county attorney’s office said it is ethically barred from discussing evidence or facts beyond what appears in public charging documents.
The charges are allegations. Manakaja is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Anyone who believes a child is in immediate danger should call 911. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can also be reached by calling or texting 800-422-4453.
