A Pierce County woman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her daughter’s newborn son, according to documents from Washington State Superior Court.
Dayjanay Thomas, 31, was arrested on February 23 of this year for refusing to get medical help after her daughter gave birth at home on February 10.
The Tacoma Police Department says the woman’s 14-year-old daughter arrived at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital the day she gave birth, holding her dead child in a box. In the investigation that followed, investigators brought additional charges against Thomas.
Police say the Medical Examiner found the child had died from multiple injuries from a sharp object.
Detectives say a search of Thomas and her daughter’s apartment found evidence of violence, including blood splatter on the walls of Thomas’s bedroom. Detectives found a serrated knife and scissors under a pile of wet clothes in the bathroom.
Text messages between the defendant and her daughter also reveal that, after the daughter was checked into the hospital, Thomas messaged her daughter to tell social workers and doctors that Thomas didn’t know about the pregnancy.
Thomas is also charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment after investigators say she refused to drive her teenage daughter to the hospital after she had given birth and instead waited hours for their landlord to drive them both.
An investigator’s report reveals that when asked, Thomas said she did not know that her daughter had been pregnant or that she had given birth, but did say her daughter had been experiencing some symptoms of pregnancy.
Court documents show Thomas could face a life sentence and potential fines of up to $70,000. Documents show Thomas has also been prohibited from contacting her daughter.
©2026 Cox Media Group
