BEDFORD — Lawrence County prosecutors charged a 33-year-old woman with child neglect in the death of a 19-month-old girl.
Cheyenne Hill, 33, formerly of Bedford, faces a felony charge of neglect of a dependent in the Nov. 26 death of Elliaunna Plummer, according to a probable cause affidavit and the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.
Elliaunna was taken to IU Health Bedford Hospital on Nov. 23 with brain injuries, a broken collar bone and bruises on her face and head, prosecutors say.
A medical helicopter flew the child to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, where she died three days later.
Doctors told investigators Elliaunna's injuries appeared to be caused by abuse, prosecutors say. A pathologist found the child died of blunt-force trauma to the head and ruled her death a homicide, court records say.
Several witnesses told police that they noticed bruises and other injuries on Elliaunna before the girl died, records say.
"Elli randomly jumps off things and falls on the floor and pulls at her ears and hair so much she has bruising," Hill told one witness, according to the affidavit.
Hill was questioned by police and failed a polygraph test on Dec. 7, records say.
She moved away from Bedford before prosecutors filed a neglect charge against her on Aug. 23. Hill was arrested Sept. 17 in Marquette County, Michigan, police said.
She waved extradition and was back in Lawrence County, Indiana, on Tuesday for an initial hearing, records show.
The charge against Hill is a level 1 felony and carries a sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison if convicted.
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on Twitter: @vicryc.
