UPDATE: Child found dead in Dayton apartment, mother charged

DAYTON — Firefighters found a child dead inside an apartment and police arrested that child’s mother after receiving a call of a “bad smell” coming from an apartment Tuesday afternoon, according to public records.

Officers responded to an apartment complex in the 1800 block of James H. McGee Blvd. around 2 p.m. after receiving a call from a neighbor, who had concerns about a “bad smell” coming from one of the residences.

Police arrested the child’s mother, Wanisha Smith, 33, at a house in the 3200 block of Amanda Drive in Trotwood around 6:30 p.m. Prosecutor’s approved a single count of involuntary manslaughter and child endangering after meeting with police Thursday. She had initially been booked on a murder charge, however that charge was not approved by prosecutors.

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“I think there’s someone over there that’s deceased,” the caller told dispatchers.

Dayton police said once they arrived at the apartment they also requested the Dayton Fire Department to help.

“Out of a concern for the safety and well-being of anyone inside, the Dayton Fire Department was requested to the scene and assisted with entering the apartment,” said Dayton Police Lt. Jason Hall. “Firefighters located the remains of a small child who had clearly been deceased for some time. A call out was then made for detectives from both the Dayton Police Department Special Victims Unit and the Homicide Unit.”

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office was unable to release the age and name of the child, however a Dayton police report shows a child approximately a year old was involved. An autopsy will determine how long the child had been dead and how they died.

Several citizens helped lead police to Smith.

Smith does have other children, none of which police said live with her. Officers said those children are safe.

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