A woman in Tomball, Texas has been charged with capital murder after confessing to killing her 5-year-old daughter, authorities said. The suspect, Melissa Towne, appeared in court on Monday, where court records revealed she told officers she wanted to end her daughter’s life because she was an “evil child” and she didn’t want to deal with her anymore.
Investigators said Towne took her daughter to a hospital after allegedly stabbing her in a park. She allegedly asked a nurse for a wheelchair, saying only that her daughter was “hurt.” When the nurse approached Towne’s car, she found the 5-year-old inside a mesh laundry bag covered by a blanket, police said.
The nurse saw a cut on the girl’s throat and bruises around her neck, eyes and mouth, police said. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
A GoFundMe has been created by the child’s aunt to cover her funeral expenses. “Nichole was too good for this earth,” the GoFundMe reads. “She was too special.” The child’s father was identified as James Bradshaw, Jr.
Towne did not have custody of her daughter, according to CBS Houston affiliate KHOU.
Towne was detained by police officers and she admitted to taking her daughter to the park, walking into the woods and cutting her daughter’s throat, police said in court. According to authorities, she said her daughter began to scream and fight, yelling, “I’ve been good.” She said she told her daughter to “stop fighting it,” as she strangled her for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, according to police.
Police said they found a knife on Towne when they detained her. They said Towne told responding officers she “made a conscious decision” and “needed to end the child’s life.”
Towne waived her right to face a judge Monday morning and had her bond set at $15 million.
CBS News has reached out to Nichole’s family, Tomball Police and Child Protective Services.
