A 17-year-old Savannah woman has been charged with the murder of her infant daughter after an eight-month investigation by Savannah-Chatham police, the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Calabria Tiawana Bragg surrendered to metro police Tuesday after being indicted by a Chatham County grand jury on two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children, cruelty to children in the second degree and false statements and writings to law enforcement officers.
The indictment and arrest followed the death of 8-month-old Arizona Mozee after she was found unresponsive in her bed on Aug. 5, said Julian Miller, police spokesman.
West Victorian apartment fire displaces nine
A fire in a duplex in Savannah’s West Victorian District late Thursday night displaced nine residents.
Firefighters were called to the blaze at 209 W. Park Ave. at 11:43 p.m., where they found flames crawling up the wall of the rear of one side of the duplex, said Mark Keller, Savannah Fire & Emergency Services Spokesman.
The fire, which appears to have started on the back porch, destroyed most of the porch area, ran up the back wall and into the attic, Keller said.
The outside rear area of the structure and the attic were extensively damaged by fire, he said, and the inside living area sustained smoke and water damage.
The neighboring unit of the duplex, 207, was slightly damaged as well.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire, Keller said.
Volunteers provided the displaced residents with funds for food and shelter for the night, said Esther Sheppard, spokeswoman for the Southeast Georgia chapter of the American Red Cross. Caseworkers from the organization were further assisting them Friday, she said.
Police, firefighters and medics to join Sand Gnats
Local law enforcement, public safety and military agencies are joining with the Savannah Sand Gnats today at Grayson Stadium for Hometown Hero Day.
From 1-4:30 p.m., attendees can visit displays from the Savannah-Chatham and Garden City police departments, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., Southside Fire/EMS and several others.
The public will get an up-close look at special operations vehicles such as helicopters and a SWAT BearCat, said Michelle Gavin, metro police spokeswoman.
There will also be games, a bouncy house, face painting and free food.
Anyone who attends Hometown Hero Day also gets a free ticket to the Sand Gnats game at 6 p.m., Gavin said.
Savannah High to host police roll call
Savannah High School will host the Savannah-Chatham police department’s Roll Call in the Streets from 2-5 p.m. Thursday.
During the event, metro police will hold roll call meetings in the Capital Street parking lot of the Savannah High campus so students in the Law and Criminal Justice Program can meet officers and learn more about law enforcement careers.
The community is invited to participate.
Compiled by Josh Rayburn, Dash Coleman and Jenel Few