2 women accused of murder after Missouri child, 5, found dead with sock in mouth

WAYNESVILLE. Mo. — Two Missouri women were arrested in connection with the death of a 5-year-old child who was found unresponsive with a sock in her mouth, authorities said.

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Angela Nicole West, 39, and Shamira Danielle Buford, 36, both of Waynesville, were arrested Tuesday, according to a news release from the Waynesville Police Department. They both face charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, and abuse or neglect of a child, according to Pulaski County online court records.

It is unclear what the relationship was between the child and the two women. The girl’s name has not been released.

A school resource officer at a school in Waynesville contacted police at 7:59 a.m. CST on Tuesday, KCRG-TV reported. According to a probable cause statement obtained by KOLR-TV, an older sibling said his sister was unconscious and lying on the floor with the sock in her mouth.

Officers arriving at the home learned that Buford and West were asleep, according to the television station. According to the probable cause statement, the person who answered the door at the residence told officers that the child “choked.”

After the two women were awakened by officers, Buford found the girl under a blanket in the living room, KOLR reported. The child was pronounced dead at 8:50 a.m. CST.

According to the probable cause statement, an officer noticed “significant” marks on the girl’s wrists, ankles and neck, as well as a gray sock with blood on it next to the body,” KMIZ reported. The sock was also “saturated with an unknown substance.”

Court documents state that West and Buford had tied the girl to a futon, KCRG reported. According to police, Buford allegedly told officers that the girl would steal food during the night and that the sock was used to stop her from crying and screaming while tied up, the television station reported.

“She (the girl) has a sticky fingers problem so the solution my parents came up with was to tie her arms behind (her) back and tie her to the bed,” one of the siblings told investigators, KMIZ-TV reported, citing the probable cause statement.

According to investigators, West allegedly admitted that the girl would be tied up and would show the other children in the home “how to do it.” She allegedly added that tying the girl up was “a last resort,” KYTV reported.

Both women are being held without bail, according to the Pulaski County Prosecutors Office. They will attend a bond hearing on Monday, according to online court records. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 10, court records show.