Man and woman charged over death and rape of two-year-old in Thornaby
Alexandra Walker, 25, and Harrison Simpson, 21, charged following incident on Hartington Close; child later died in hospital
A man and a woman have been charged in connection with the death of a two-year-old girl in Thornaby, Cleveland Police said.
Alexandra Walker, 25, of Hartington Close, Thornaby, and Harrison Simpson, 21, of Greenham Close, Middlesbrough, have been charged with murder and with causing or allowing the death of a child. Simpson has also been charged with the rape of the child. Both are due to appear before Teesside Magistrates' Court later.
Emergency services were called to a property on Hartington Close in Thornaby on Teesside at about 16:20 BST on Saturday after concerns were raised about the welfare of the child. The girl was taken to hospital where she later died, police said.
Cleveland Police said the charges were authorised following inquiries by detectives. The force did not provide further details of the alleged offence or the circumstances leading up to the child's death. The pair are scheduled to appear before magistrates later on the day of the charges.
Detective-led investigations into the incident remain ongoing, the force added. No further information was released immediately regarding potential witnesses or statements, and police asked anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The case will proceed through the criminal justice system, where the charges will be considered at the defendants' initial hearing. Further updates will depend on court proceedings and inquiries by investigators.