A Cleveland father has confirmed that his daughter, who disappeared five years ago, was among two children whose bodies were discovered buried in shallow graves this week in Ohio.
DeShaun Chatman revealed Thursday that investigators informed him late Wednesday evening that his daughter Mila’s remains were among those recovered from a field close to Ginn Academy in the South Collinwood area. The 8-year-old girl and another child were discovered buried inside suitcases.
According to Chatman, he had made five attempts to gain emergency custody and worked with a child welfare agency to track down Mila, but these efforts failed because he was unaware of their location. Officials have not yet publicly identified either of the two children.
Speaking from the location where the children were discovered, Chatman described the situation as “very much horrible.” He revealed that Mila had been living close enough to see the burial site and expressed his anguish, saying he felt “useless — I couldn’t save my baby.”
Cleveland authorities announced Thursday that they plan to file charges against a 28-year-old woman connected to the case. Sergeant Wilfredo Diaz reported that officers took the woman into custody Wednesday evening following initial questioning and evidence review.
The unnamed woman is being treated as a person of interest, according to Diaz.
“We are aiming to have her charged later today. However, that’s subject to change,” he stated.
Chatman explained that while he and Mila’s mother were never married, they shared a home for approximately one year following their daughter’s birth. His last contact with Mila occurred in 2020 when she was just 3 years old.
“Mila was happy-go-lucky, always smiling,” Chatman recalled. “Favorite color was pink — she swore that she was a princess. She was always happy. She was a kid’s kid.”
He noted that officials have not revealed the cause of death for either child, though he anticipates receiving additional details on Monday. Earlier in the week, Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd acknowledged she was unaware of how the children died.
“We are hoping to find answers,” Todd stated to media representatives. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”
The discovery was made after someone walking their dog contacted authorities about the remains.
