Persia Nelson, a 24-year-old woman, is facing murder charges following the tragic death of her 11-month-old daughter, Halo Branton.
Searchers found the child in a Schenectady GE plant tunnel, submerged up to her neck
The search for Halo began after a report of her missing from a Schenectady home in Bellevue. Authorities issued an Amber Alert and launched a multi-agency search, with state police and forest rangers participating. Descriptions identified the baby as a Black child with black hair and hazel eyes.
Authorities found Halo in a shed on the General Electric campus, and the hospital pronounced her dead.
An autopsy revealed Halo’s death by exposure and hypothermia, leading to Nelson’s upgraded charges to second-degree murder for depraved indifference.
Nelson, who pleaded not guilty to the initial manslaughter charge, is set to be arraigned later this month.
The case highlights the dangers of child neglect and the need for vigilance in protecting the vulnerable.