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Shelby Dasher charged with second-degree murder after her missing toddler was found dead

Nov 17, 2011

Shelby Dasher, the mother of Tyler, the one-year-old toddler whose body was found wrapped in a blanket and dumped in woods in Affton, Missouri, has been charged with his murder.

Shelby Dasher, 20, was charged with second-degree murder after admitting to police she repeatedly struck her son Tyler in a rage because he was crying and “wouldn’t lay down, wouldn’t go back to sleep”.

The mother also admitted disposing of Tyler’s body, which was found discarded near a cemetery about a mile from his home on Tuesday, hours after she reported him missing.

It followed a frantic four-hour emergency services search for the child.

Shelby Dasher, 20, was charged with second-degree murder after admitting to police she repeatedly struck her son Tyler

Shelby Dasher originally told police she overslept that morning and discovered him gone from his crib when she awoke after claiming she put her son to bed at 10:30 p.m. on Monday night.

Robert P. McCulloch, the prosecuting attorney, told reporters at a press conference today:

“At this point, there’s no indication that we have that there’s anyone else involved other than Miss Dasher.”

The prosecutor said that Shelby Dasher arrived home drunk at 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. When her mother left for work at 7:30 a.m., Tyler Dasher would not stop crying so she beat him to death.

What happened after that is “a bit fuzzy’, according to what she told prosecutors.

Police and the FBI mounted a massive search while questioning the mother. They noted there was no forced entry to the home.

Tyler Dasher’s father, Joseph Ellington, lives elsewhere in the St Louis area.

Robert P. McCulloch said Tyler Dasher died of blunt-force trauma to the head and body. He said that “as far as we know” Shelby Dasher carried the body to the cemetery herself.

The prosecutor said officials are not aware of any prior acts of abuse.

Yesterday an area near the cemetery was cordoned off with yellow police tape as force dogs sniffed the ground. A cluster of young adults cried and hugged as they looked on.