Shereese Barksdale

Mom Arrested in Newborn's Death

October 15, 2004

The mother of a two-week-old infant has been arrested on a preliminary charge of murder after an autopsy showed the girl had been physically abused, Indianapolis police reported today. Tonya Barksdale, 34, of the 900 block of East Saratoga Drive, was taken into custody late Thursday after being interviewed by homicide detectives. Internal injuries were discovered by pathologists conducting an autopsy Thursday of her daughter, Shereese Barksdale, born Sept. 28. There had been no external signs of injury.