GLOUCESTER, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man has been charged with second-degree murder and malicious wounding after police say he struck his wife with a hammer and smothered her infant daughter. The little girl died.
WAVY-TV reported Thursday that Dennis Chambers, 60, is facing charges in Gloucester County.
Citing a probable cause statement, the station reported that Chambers allegedly admitted to striking his 24-year-old wife in the head “between two and three times” and used a cotton “burping cloth” to smother her 5-month-old daughter.
Chambers was on the run from the police until he was caught Wednesday night in New Kent County.
The search began after authorities had checked on his wife and her daughter because they hadn’t been heard from for an unusual length of time.
Chambers was transferred from the jail in Gloucester to one in Warsaw because he’s charged with killing a child.
“He could be subject to attack from another inmate and our regional jail is much better suited to isolate him from other inmates,” Sheriff Darrell Warren said.
