Massachusetts mother arrested in death of two year-old daughter

BROCKTON – State Police Detectives along with Whitman Police have arrested a woman in connection with the death of her two year-old toddler, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.

On Saturday, December 28, at approximately 12:02 a.m., Whitman Police received a 911 call for an unresponsive two-year-old female at 863 Washington Street #3 in Whitman. Whitman Police and Fire responded and transported the girl to Brockton Hospital. The child was later medflighted to Children’s Hospital in critical condition and on December 31 at approximately 3:00 p.m., she was taken off of life support. The child has been identified as Lyric Farrell.

Today, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Whitman Police sought and obtained an arrest warrant for the child’s mother, Shaniqua Leonard, 29. Leonard was arrested this afternoon in Dorchester and is being transported to Brockton. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Brockton District Court on a charge of Reckless Endangerment of a Child.

State Police investigators along with members of Whitman Police have been actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death since she was brought in for treatment. The State Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy and will determine the manner and cause of the child’s death. Further testing and the investigation is ongoing.