Woman charged with homicide by child abuse in 3-year-old girl's death

LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. -- (WSOC) -- Lancaster police have made an arrest in connection with the death of a 3-year-old girl.

Kayla Cook is charged with homicide by child abuse in Lillian Schroeder's death on Heath Circle. Cook was arrested in Cleveland County.

Officers were called to the home in December in response to a call for an unconscious child. Police said they found the child unresponsive, on her back in the living room, with no pulse or signs of respiration.

The arrest warrant said that Cook was caring for the little girl while the victim's dad was at work.

Cook stated that she put the victim in the bath and when she came back and check on her, Lillian was lying face up in the tub, unresponsive but looking around and breathing, according to the arrest warrant.

The warrant went on to say that Cook initially told police the child “wasn't acting right” and she wanted a neighbor to call 911.

The document stated the 3-year-old had numerous bruises on her body. The autopsy report showed Lillian died from cerebral edema which was due to a blunt force trauma to her head and that the victim died within minutes of the head injury.