Mom Charged In Death Of Malnourished 3-Year-Old Child

COLUMBIA, MD — A mom has been charged in connection to the death of her 3-year-old child.

Howard County Police were called to a home where the pair were staying at in Columbia on Nov. 1, 2024, for a report of a dead child. Police found multiple bruises and scars on the 3-year-old's body. Autopsy findings completed in March 2025 indicated the death was a homicide as a result of dehydration and malnourishment, the police department stated.

During their investigation into the child's death, detectives determined that the mother, 27-year-old Shalyne Brown, was responsible for the child’s death due to neglect and abuse. She has been charged with second-degree murder, and first- and second-degree child abuse.

Brown does not have a permanent address and was staying at a residence in Columbia at the time of the child’s death. She was found and arrested in Pennsylvania, and has been transferred to the Howard County Detention Center where she is being held without bond.