A Pennsylvania mother was charged with murder in connection with the death of her 3-year-old son in Maryland, according to Howard County police. 

Police said Shalyne Brown, 27, of Pennsylvania, was staying in Columbia, Maryland, at the time of her child's death. She was charged with murder and child abuse. 

Child found dead

According to charging documents, police were called to a duplex in Columbia on November 1, 2024, for a report of a dead child along Hickory Log Circle.

Court documents obtained by WJZ on Thursday explained what happened the day police arrived at the home. 

Brown was staying with her boyfriend's mother at the time. Her then-boyfriend is not the child's father.

When they arrived, officers found that the child's body had multiple bruises, burns, and scars.

"When the ambulance arrived, it was evident that the child had been deceased for a bit of time," said Sherry Llewellyn, a spokesperson for the Howard County Police Department. 

Authorities were unable to share how long the child had been deceased. However, court documents state detectives attempted to "close the three-year-old victim's eyes, however, they were too 'dry."

The toddler was transported for Compassionate Care from the scene to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. 

The autopsy, completed in March 2025, showed that the child's death was due to dehydration and malnourishment, police said.  

The mother's explanation

During an interview with investigators, Brown explained that she stayed at home with the 3-year-old and is the only one who cares for him.

Brown explained that the night before the 911 call, she got the 3-year-old victim out of a cot that he was sleeping in and put him in bed with her to sleep. 

On November 1, 2024, Brown said she fed the 3-year-old victim dry cereal and water in his highchair at some point between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Brown told investigators that she had fallen back asleep between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and woke back up at about 1 p.m. She noted that the 3-year-old victim was making noise and was in his highchair.

At around 1:40 p.m., Brown said she got up to check on the three-year-old because she didn't hear him. She then described seeing the child victim "slumped to his right side and unresponsive".

Documents state Brown ran the 3-year-old victim to the bathroom across the hallway and removed his clothing, splashed water on his face in an attempt to revive him, and brought him back to a conscious state. Then Brown's boyfriend's mother was called in to dial 911. 

When responders arrived and spoke with Brown about the child's medical history, she said the three-year-old victim suffered from seizures about a year ago when he had a high fever/temperature. 

She went on to say that her son was possibly autistic; however, he hasn't been diagnosed by a doctor.

Brown told officers her son likes to "play outside and likes to ride bikes" and has no balance issues.

When detectives asked about the bruises, Brown said she hadn't seen the bruises and "…honestly don't know because I don't abuse my child— his hair covered a lot."

Investigators went on to describe how Brown said she "pops" the three-year-old victim when she disciplines him. Brown clarified that she uses an open hand and strikes him on the arm or the leg and advised that she doesn't cause bruising.

Some witnesses interviewed by police stated that Brown "loved being a mom." 

Police made an arrest 

Through a nearly nine-month investigation and multiple witness interviews, police determined that Brown was responsible for her child's death due to neglect and abuse. 

According to online documents, a warrant for Brown's arrest was issued in July 2025, but according to Howard County police, Brown had left the state. 

"This was a situation where once we identified that the mother was the likely responsible party, when we were able to apply for charges, we learned that she had left the state. So, it did take some time to find her in Pennsylvania and then have her extra back to Maryland, so all of those things contribute to the timeline," said Llewellyn.

Court documents list Brown's preliminary address in Pennsylvania and also state she has multiple family members living in Harrisburg.

WJZ asked authorities why it took nearly nine months for an arrest to be made in this case, and police explained that it takes time for the autopsy results to be formalized and completed.

 "Once that happened, we were able to apply for charges," said Llewellyn.

Brown was arrested in Pennsylvania and was transferred to the Howard County Detention Center, where she is being held without bond.

She is expected to appear in court on September 4, court records show. 

Maternal filicide cases in Maryland 

In Maryland, nearly 83 children died from neglect or abuse in 2023, according to a report from the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Maryland has seen several cases of maternal filicide, or instances where a mother kills her child, in recent years. 

In May, a Baltimore County mother, Aurielle Montgomery, pleaded guilty to killing her 1-year-old daughter in 2022. Police determined that her child, Nyemia Gilliard, died from trauma. 

Montgomery was the sole caregiver for Gilliard, who was found unresponsive in a Baltimore home, court documents detailed. 

Another similar case in June led to charges for a Maryland couple. 

Maryland mother Darrian Randle and her boyfriend, Cedrick Britten, were accused of killing Randle's 3-year-old and attempting to hide her body before reporting a false kidnapping in Delaware. 

According to court documents, an investigation after the false kidnapping report led to the discovery of 3-year-old Nola Dinkin's body in a Cecil County park. 

Randle and Britten are both facing charges in connection with Dinkin's death.