Mom facing charges after child found dead in Dayton apartment

Wanisha Francine Smith  MONTGOMERY COUNTY JAIL

Wanisha Francine Smith MONTGOMERY COUNTY JAIL

Charges have been filed against a Dayton woman whose young son was found dead in an apartment.

The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office approved one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of child endangering against Wanisha Smith, 33, according to a prosecutor’s office representative.

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Police responded Tuesday afternoon to a North James H. McGee Boulevard apartment Tuesday afternoon on a welfare check after neighbors said they hadn’t seen the occupant in awhile and reported a bad smell coming from the apartment.

“Once inside, [Dayton] firefighters located the remains of a small child who had clearly been deceased for some time,” said Dayton police Lt. Jason Hall.

A 911 caller told dispatchers there was a “real bad” smell coming from the apartment.

“I think there’s somebody over there that’s deceased,” she said.

Several citizens helped police find Smith in Trotwood, Hall said.

She was arrested in the 3200 block of Amanda Drive Tuesday evening and booked on a preliminary murder charge.

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Smith’s other children are safe and did not live with her, Hall said.

More details about the child are not available. However, a Dayton incident report mentioned a 1-year-old boy.

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is working to determine the child’s cause of death.

Montgomery County Children Services did not have an open investigation regarding the deceased child, a representative said.

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