South suburban Chicago mother gets probation for endangerment, concealment in baby's death
A south suburban mother will serve two years' probation for the death of her 1-year-old daughter in 2017.
The death of Melody Townsend's daughter, Ana Maria Townsend, was ruled a homicide after the child's body was found by first responders inside a burned and abandoned house in Markham.
Townsend received probation on Wednesday for the charges of child endangerment and concealing a homicide.
Court documents show she also must complete domestic violence counseling and undergo mental health evaluation and treatment.
On Thursday, advocates were to gather at the Markham Cook County Courthouse to call for an explanation of the sentencing outcome and an update to the homicide investigation.
On July 3, 2017, Markham police and firefighters went to a vacant house in the 15400 block of Hamlin Avenue for a suspicious fire. But an arson case quickly became a murder case when Ana Maria's body was found wrapped in a blanket in the attic of the burned-out house.
Ana Maria's grandparents reported their daughter and the baby's mother, Melody Townsend, missing at the time. For five years, detectives looked for Townsend.
Eventually, leads took them to Los Angeles, where in 2023, Markham police announced Townsend's arrest for child endangerment, concealing a homicide, and aiding a fugitive.
In January of this year, a jury found Townsend guilty of endangerment and concealing a homicide, but the actual killer has not been located.
Markham police have never said publicly if the baby's father is involved, but he has not been seen since 2017.
