Ohio Mother Charged with Murdering Two Daughters Found in Suitcases

The bodies of Mila Chatman, 8, and Amor Wilson, 10, were discovered in shallow graves in Cleveland.

Mar. 6, 2026 at 2:18am

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An Ohio woman named Aliyah Henderson, 28, has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder after the bodies of her two young daughters, Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson, were found buried in separate suitcases in shallow graves in Cleveland earlier this week. The medical examiner has not yet released the cause of death for the girls.

Why it matters

This tragic case has shocked the Cleveland community and raised questions about the welfare system's ability to protect vulnerable children, as the girls' father had been trying to gain custody of Mila for years but was unable to locate her.

The details

Police were alerted after a man walking his dog found a partially buried suitcase containing one of the girls' bodies. After searching the area, they discovered a second shallow grave with another suitcase holding the second victim. Mila's father, DeShaun Chatman, said he had been pursuing custody of his daughter for five years but had not seen her since 2020 when she was 3 years old.

  • On Monday evening, a man walking his dog found a partially buried suitcase containing one of the girls' bodies.
  • Police responded and located a second shallow grave with another suitcase holding the second victim.
  • Aliyah Henderson was detained by police on Wednesday evening.

The players

Aliyah Henderson

A 28-year-old Ohio woman who has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of her two young daughters.

Mila Chatman

An 8-year-old girl who was one of the victims found buried in a suitcase in Cleveland.

Amor Wilson

A 10-year-old girl who was the other victim found buried in a suitcase in Cleveland.

DeShaun Chatman

The father of Mila Chatman, who had been trying to gain custody of his daughter for years but was unable to locate her.

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What they’re saying

“It's very much horrible. I couldn't save my baby.”

— DeShaun Chatman, Mila Chatman's father

“Mila was happy-go-lucky, always smiling. Favorite color was pink — she swore that she was a princess. She was always happy. She was a kid's kid.”

— DeShaun Chatman, Mila Chatman's father

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Aliyah Henderson to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the critical need for stronger child welfare systems and support services to protect vulnerable children, as well as the heartbreak faced by parents who are unable to locate or gain custody of their own children.