Flagstaff mom accused of killing her toddler, hiding body in freezer indicted by grand jury
Ochra Manakaja
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - A grand jury has indicted an Arizona mother accused of killing her toddler and hiding the child's body in a freezer for weeks.
Ochra Manakaja has been charged with 21 felony counts, the Coconino County Attorney's Office said. The charges include first-degree murder, second-degree murder, child abuse, and the abandonment or concealment of a dead body.
The backstory:
On May 17, Flagstaff police responded to the La Quinta Inn, located at 1000 N. Bronco Way. Once at the hotel, officers found a child dead inside one of the rooms. Two other children were also found inside the room, but they weren't hurt.
The next day, Manakaja was arrested and booked into jail. She's being held on a $1 million bond.
Mother of toddler found dead inside Flagstaff hotel room arrested, police say
The mother of an toddler who was found dead inside a Flagstaff hotel room over the weekend has been arrested.
Dig deeper:
According to court documents, Manakaja told police she threw the child out of frustration in late April. Manakaja said the child's condition worsened before he died on May 1.
Investigators say Manakaja hid the toddler's body in a freezer for weeks to hide the smell. She called 911 on May 17, and officers found the toddler's frozen body wrapped in plastic and a blanket inside the hotel room.
Flagstaff toddler death: Mother accused of hiding child's body in freezer for weeks
New court documents reveal the mother of the toddler found dead in a Flagstaff hotel confessed to throwing her son into his crib, leading to his death days later.
What's next:
The Coconino County Attorney's Office says the next step in the case is Manakaja's arraignment. A date for the arraignment wasn't announced.
Map of the hotel where the child was found:
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from a news release by the Coconino County Attorney's Office and previous FOX 10 reports.