CROMWELL, CT – In a distressing turn of events, a mother finds herself charged with murder after her toddler tragically drowned in the aftermath of a September automobile crash. Devoni Miller, 23, of Cromwell, was blamed for her toddler’s death following a collision on Route 9 South near Exit 25.
Initial investigations showed the young mother exiting her vehicle after the crash, the toddler firmly in her arms, making her way down a nearby embankment. State police conducted the initial inquiries into the disturbing case. It was the state’s chief medical examiner’s office that pronounced young Deroyal Miller’s cause of death as “homicide by drowning.”
Among the charges facing Devoni Miller are risk of injury to a child, evading responsibilities with injuries, second-degree reckless endangerment, and reckless driving. After being slapped with a $5,000 bond, she faces additional charges from the Connecticut State Police.
These include charges of murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an emergency call, reckless driving, evading responsibility in the operation of other vehicles, and risk of injury to a child. The magnitude of these offenses is reflected in her current $1 million bond.
Eyewitness reports from the day detail a disconcerting account. Miller is said to have terminated a bystander’s 911 call in the immediate aftermath of the crash, expressing her dread of “going back there.” She allegedly rebuffed suggestions to check on the well-being of her child and flee to the safety of the roadside.
When police discovered Miller, she appeared calm. She was only wearing her undergarments, and was found without visible injuries. She was in a visibly distressed mental state, expressing a desire die and making requests to be taken to jail.
Prior to the crash, Miller’s demeanor had noticeably shifted, displaying an emotionless and disinterested attitude. Co-workers had sent her home from work early that day, signaling concerns about her wellbeing. Concerns even culminated in her family’s attempts to remove Deroyal from her custody.
Miller’s acceleration pedal was found to be fully depressed, and she made no effort to correct the direction of the vehicle prior to striking the guardrail at 57 mph, according to a crash report.