Charges of murder, child abuse and child neglect were filed against a La Verge mother on Monday by the Rutherford County Grand Jury.
PHOTO: Suspect Shenekia Parks, center, is escorted into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center Monday by Rutherford County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Morrow, left, and Deputy Jack Keisling.
The La Vergne Police Department responded to a medical call on September 3, 2014 about an unresponsive woman. After being transported to Stonecrest Hospital, medical personnel determined Shenekia Parks, then 27-years old, had given birth. During the investigation, a deceased infant girl was discovered. After a thorough investigation, probable cause was presented to the Rutherford County Grand Jury and Parks was indicted on January 12, 2015 for felony murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child neglect.
Once the indictment was issued, the La Vergne Police Department requested assistance from the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office to locate the suspect. Sgt. Randy Morrow and Deputy Jack Keisling of the Fugitive Unit investigated and learned that Parks spent time at McDonalds on Bell Road in Antioch. The law enforcement officers went there to question witnesses on Monday afternoon, found her there, and took Parks into custody. She was booked at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.
Parks is being held on $505,000 bond. She is scheduled to receive a copy of her indictment Tuesday in Circuit Court.
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"We want to thank the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office, the State Medical Examiner's Office, and LPD Detective Stephen Hale for their professional work in this very tragic case," said Sgt. Detective David Durham of the LPD Criminal Investigation Division. "The La Vergne Police Department worked tirelessly to find justice on behalf of this newborn baby."
Sheriff Robert Arnold said the Sheriff's Office partners with other law enforcement agencies to locate fugitives. "I commend Sgt. Morrow and Deputy Keisling for their persistence in locating Ms. Parks," said Arnold.
