A 35-year-old woman has been charged with abuse of two children, ages 2 and 3, the younger of whom was found dead in the woman’s residence on Thursday, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Marie J. Chishahayo, dob: 1/1/1979, faces four counts of Child Abuse or Neglect.*

According to court records, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Vine St. on a reported burned child. One child, age 2, was found deceased and a second child, age 3, was transported to the hospital. Two other juveniles, ages 9 and 4, were found inside. A man who identified himself as the mother’s brother stated he last saw the mother and four children on Thursday and he observed no problems. A church van, he reported had tried to pick the mother and her children up on Sunday, but no one answered the door. The mother also didn’t answer repeated phone calls from family. The mother’s brother told police he went to the residence on Vine Street on Thursday, March 5, 2015, and the 9-year-old boy answered. The house was in disarray. When he went upstairs he found one child under a blanket. As he moved the blanket the 3-year-old child stated, “Mommy your hurting me, stop it.” He then found the other child, who was obviously deceased.

The mother, according to court records, told police, initially, that she had not struck the children. But she said the 9-year-old child had struck the children. She said he stated that he heated a knife and burned one of the children all over the child’s body. She said she allowed him to do this because god had told him to do so. Upon further questioning she said she had struck both children, using a long plastic rod on one. And she said she had hit the other because the child would not get out of bed. The mother also said she observed the 9-year-old pick up the child later found dead and throw the child against the wall.

Prosecutors have requested a bond of $250,000.

The case remains under investigation and prosecutors will assess upon completion of a medical examiner’s report whether to amend charges.

*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.