Emma Leigh Barker found dead. :(

[Mojave]

http://avpress.com/n/20/0320_s1.hts

PALMDALE - Authorities are sorting through the tale of a Lancaster mother who initially reported that her 18-month-old daughter had been abducted, with homicide investigators later finding the toddler's body abandoned in Sylmar.

Emma Leigh Barker was first reported as abducted by her 21-year-old mother, Stacey Barker. The woman told sheriff's deputies that she had been knocked out Wednesday night and left unconscious. She said she came awake in Palmdale at the Avenue S Park-and-Ride commuter lot, only to find her daughter missing.

A series of sad and disturbing developments unfolded throughout the day Thursday.

About 11 a.m., sheriff's investigators found a body of a female toddler in Sylmar in the vicinity of Roxford Street and El Dorado Avenue, off Interstate 5.

The girl was confirmed to be Emma, coroner's officials said late Friday. The cause of death was not disclosed, pending an examination.

"It appears that there has been a death in which investigators found the body of a small child in the Mission Hills area," said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"The investigators are fairly sure it is young Emma, but she hasn't been positively identified yet," Whitmore said.

He added: "Investigators were led to the body through their investigation. The location of the body was accessible to the freeway and to surface streets. The investigation is now being handled by the (Sheriff's) Los Angeles County Homicide Bureau."

During a press conference Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley, homicide investigators said the body was dumped sometime during the previous 24 hours.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

Whitmore said as of Thursday evening nobody was in custody, but added the mother was being questioned by investigators.

About 11 p.m. Wednesday night, sheriff's deputies of the Palmdale Station received a call from the woman's brother.

Stacey Barker's brother told authorities that his sister regained consciousness at the Park-and-Ride in Palmdale. He reported that his sister was injured and her toddler daughter was missing, sheriff's officials said.

The mother told sheriff's deputies of the Palmdale Station that she was putting Emma in her car seat when she was knocked unconscious from behind. She said the head injury was sustained at Lancaster City Park.

When she regained consciousness about 10 p.m. and 10 miles to the south at Palmdale's Park-and-Ride lot, the toddler was gone.

At the news conference, sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson said when authorities found the girl's mother, she was "partially clad" and had sustained some kind of head injury.

Barker was taken to the hospital for treatment, sheriff's officials said.

The Sheriff's Department spent most of last night trying to find the child.

During their investigation, sheriff's detectives found several inconsistencies in the mother's story and received information suggesting the little girl was in the Sylmar area and was dead, authorities said.

What was reported, at first, to be a case of child abduction sparked an extensive search in the Park-and-Ride early Thursday morning before the search shifted about 40 miles south near the Golden State Freeway, one of the principle commuter routes from the Antelope Valley into Los Angeles.

During the early hours of the investigation at the Avenue S commuter lot, deputies and detectives, using bloodhounds, went from car to car in hopes of finding the toddler or information. The lot sweeps down to Lake Palmdale, a reservoir operated by Palmdale Water District.

About 9 a.m. Thursday, two deputies stayed behind to do the last checkup of the parking lot area when a Palmdale deputy found several pieces of clothing behind a bush in a dirt area behind an area fence. The clothes were later identified as the woman's clothing, authorities said.

At least half a dozen deputies assisted in the search. Crime lab investigators of the downtown Major Crimes Unit also later collected the clothing as evidence, took pictures and positioned flags for evidence.

A sheriff's helicopter was also dispatched to take area shots of the parking lot and the desert area around the fence for later investigations, said deputies at the scene.

[One2Snoop]

Thanks for posting this Mojave. I read about this earlier today and have a few questions.

I wonder how the mother received her injuries - possibly self-inflicted?

I'd like to know what she was doing with her daughter that caused the "accidental death"? So accidental that she needed to cover it up? That makes no sense to me. Were drugs possibly involved?

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Thanks for posting this Mojave. I read about this earlier today and have a few questions.

I wonder how the mother received her injuries - possibly self-inflicted?

I'd like to know what she was doing with her daughter that caused the "accidental death"? So accidental that she needed to cover it up? That makes no sense to me. Were drugs possibly involved?

I agree O2S. thanks Mojave. Way too many holes and questions. IMO sara

[JLette]

Originally Posted by SaraSidle

I agree O2S. thanks Mojave. Way too many holes and questions. IMO sara

just speculation of course but perhaps the head injury is at the root of all this, people have been known to suffer from strange behavior as the result of a head injury, perhaps she hit her head and THEN whatever happened happened

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by JLette

just speculation of course but perhaps the head injury is at the root of all this, people have been known to suffer from strange behavior as the result of a head injury, perhaps she hit her head and THEN whatever happened happened

how about she purposely hits her head on the underroof of the car? IMO

[Mojave]

Mom fessed up The poor girl.

http://avpress.com/n/21/0321_s2.hts

PALMDALE - A 23-year-old Lancaster woman whose toddler daughter was found dead in Sylmar has told investigators her daughter died as a result of an accident and that she panicked and dumped her daughter's body out of fear she would be blamed, sheriff's officials said Friday.

Stacey Barker, who recanted her original story that she had been assaulted and her daughter kidnapped at a Lancaster park, has been released by sheriff's detectives, who are awaiting a determination of what killed 18-month-old Emma Barker, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

"It is anticipated, in the near future, the facts of this case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office for consideration," sheriff's spokeswoman Sgt. Diane Hecht said Friday. "The child's mother is no longer being detained and is with her parents."

A search for Emma was set off late Wednesday when Palmdale sheriff's deputies got a call from Stacey Barker's brother, who said his sister was injured at a park-and-ride lot on Avenue S and her daughter was missing. Deputies said the woman told them she had been putting her daughter into her car seat at Lancaster City Park when she was knocked unconscious, and that when she woke up six hours later in the Palmdale park-and-ride lot the toddler was gone.

Deputies said they found Stacey Barker partially clad and suffering from a head injury.

During the early hours of the investigation, deputies, assisted by bloodhounds, went from car to car at the park-and-ride lot in hopes of finding the toddler or information. About 9 a.m. Thursday, several pieces of clothing were found behind a bush in a dirt area behind a fence, and were later identified as the woman's, authorities said.

Hecht said the mother late Thursday morning directed investigators to where she left her daughter's body, in some tall weeds in the vicinity of Roxford Street and El Dorado Avenue, off Interstate 5. The body was found about 11 a.m., and confirmed that night as Emma's, officials said.

Sheriff's officials did not say what sort of accident Stacey Barker said killed her daughter.

Coroner's Lt. Kelly Yagerlener said an autopsy was conducted Friday, but officials put off declaring the cause of death until further tests are conducted.

Reached at the family's home by The Associated Press, Stacey Barker's father declined to comment on his daughter's admission that Emma died accidentally. Gary Barker also would not comment on what led to his granddaughter's death.

He said there were no words to express how the family is dealing with the news as they prepare for the toddler's funeral.

Gary Barker described Emma as a "beautiful, happy girl" who smiled from the time she got up to when she went to bed.

"You lose it, you get it together, you lose it, you get it together," he told The Associated Press. "She was so young, and it's such an unnatural tragedy."

Stacey Barker lived at home with her parents and younger brother, who all took turns taking care of the family's first and only grandchild, AP reported. His wife worked at night so they wouldn't have to send Emma to day care, while his son watched Emma during the morning so other family members could rest.

Gary Barker said constant reminders of Emma are around the house and surface at the most unexpected moments.

The TV menu catalogued the last movies they watched together. Emma especially loved "Bee Movie" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks," he said.

He said he last saw Emma on Tuesday night when he got home from work just before his granddaughter's bedtime. His voice choked with emotion as he recalled the memory.

"I was holding her in the family room and I was dancing with her and slowly dipping her," he said. "She was laughing and smiling and we were looking at each other eye to eye. After that it was bedtime, and Stacey gave her a bottle and put her to bed."

[One2Snoop]

"I was holding her in the family room and I was dancing with her and slowly dipping her," he said. "She was laughing and smiling and we were looking at each other eye to eye. After that it was bedtime, and Stacey gave her a bottle and put her to bed."

Choking back tears - how very sad. I still want to know how she "accidentally died".

[old_soul]

Geez.

[Livia]

That poor baby.

I hope there was nothing sinister here, but...I think that mom has a lot of explaining to do!!

[RaVeN71806]

so very sad..if it was an accident she should of took her to the hospital...

For Emma

[One2Snoop]

Emma Leigh Barker

[SaraSidle]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Emma Leigh Barker

what in the heck happened here? sara

[One2Snoop]

I've not been able to find any further details sara I'll keep looking.

[RaVeN71806]

Originally Posted by One2Snoop

Emma Leigh Barker

shes just too cute..this really breaks my heart

[Mojave]

LANCASTER - Family and friends will forever remember Emma Leigh Barker as "a princess and a little girl who always had a smile on her face."

On Tuesday, hundreds of friends and family and a scattered crowd of local residents gathered at the Joshua Memorial Park & Mortuary to say their final goodbyes to 18-month-old Emma, who was found dead in Sylmar off Interstate 5 on Thursday by law enforcement officials.

Bedded in a white plush coffin, people paid their last tribute to the little girl in the chapel. Many family members also wore a yellow-beaded ribbon with a red ladybug on their clothes in a show of affection and respect.

Sobs and tears of sorrow echoed through the chapel as a slide show was running on several television sets and showed a happy Emma eating, laughing and with family members.

Many people also shook their heads in disbelief of the fact that the little girl was gone.

Sitting in the middle of Susan and Gary Barker at the memorial park, 23-year-old Stacey Barker was holding her parents' hands with her eyes filled with tears.

Gary Barker's eyes were focused on the coffin as tears rolled down his face.

Friends and family did not want to give any comment on Emma or circumstances regarding her death.

On March 18, Stacey Barker told sheriff's investigators that she had been assaulted and her daughter kidnapped at a Lancaster park.

She later recanted her story and told officials that her daughter died as a result of an accident and that she panicked and dumped her daughter's body out of fear she would be blamed, authorities said.

Coroner officials said an autopsy was conducted on Friday, but the cause of death has not yet been determined.

"It is still being investigated," said Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter on Tuesday afternoon.

Stacey Barker, who was questioned on Thursday, was released several hours later by sheriff's officials.

A search for Emma was set off late Wednesday when Palmdale sheriff's deputies got a call from Stacey Barker's brother, who said his sister was injured at a park-and-ride lot on Avenue S and her daughter was missing. Deputies said the woman told them she had been putting her daughter into her car seat at Lancaster City Park when she was knocked unconscious, and that when she woke up six hours later in the Palmdale park-and-ride lot, the toddler was gone.

Deputies said they found Stacey Barker partially clad and suffering from a head injury.

During the early hours of the investigation, deputies, assisted by bloodhounds, went from car to car at the park-and-ride lot in hopes of finding the toddler or information.

About 9 a.m. Thursday, several pieces of clothing were found behind a bush in a dirt area behind a fence, and were later identified as the woman's, authorities said.

Through the course of questioning, the mother's story changed.

Officials said the mother late Thursday morning directed investigators to where she left her daughter's body, in some tall weeds in the vicinity of Roxford Street and El Dorado Avenue, off Interstate 5.

The body was found about 11 a.m., and confirmed that night as Emma's.

Sheriff's officials have not yet said what sort of accident Stacey Barker said killed her daughter.

[One2Snoop]

Thanks for the update MoJave but WOW, all I can ask LE, is why not?

Sheriff's officials have not yet said what sort of accident Stacey Barker said killed her daughter.

[Mojave]

I'm willing to bet that they are just not releasing it, though I don't understand it all either. What I really don't understand is how someone could dump their baby on the side of the road like trash

[One2Snoop]

Originally Posted by Mojave

I'm willing to bet that they are just not releasing it, though I don't understand it all either. What I really don't understand is how someone could dump their baby on the side of the road like trash

That's what I don't get either Mojave. I think she was negligent in her child's death somehow and I keep going over and over in my mind on the how and what she possible could've done to cause Emma's death. My conclusions...

She accidently gave her the wrong medicine?
She accidently swung her to hard on the swing at the park and she fell off?
She went down the slide to fast and fell off the side and hit her head?

She accidently ran over her child when trying to get her into the car?
She fed her child something that she choked on? ???????

I'll stop now, but I just don't get it.

[One2Snoop]

Mom accused of killing child after false kidnapping report

Associated Press - April 24, 2009 2:43 AM ET

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) - A California mother who told authorities her 1-year-daughter was kidnapped has now been arrested for investigation of murder.

The body of Stacey Barker's daughter was found last month near a Los Angeles freeway. Barker first reported being knocked out by someone while putting young Emma into her car and waking up to find the child missing.

She later recanted the story and claimed the child died in an accident. Authorities say Barker's story changed as investigators continued to question her.

They also say the head injuries she had could be self-inflicted.

The 24-year-old is being held on $1 million bond.

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=10241170

[katfish]

Stacey Barker was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder April 24.


The charges filed against the young mother today, Monday, April 27 include murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse.
The complaint alleges that Barker willfully caused and permitted the child to be injured and harmed and that injury resulted in death.

The arraignment for Barker will be May 11.

Here is a link to light a candle for Emma.

[Mojave]

She smothered her

http://avpress.com/n/28/0428_s1.hts

LANCASTER - A Lancaster mother suspected of smothering her toddler daughter, then dumping the body in Sylmar, made her first court appearance, looking small and slight in the custody of a female bailiff who towered over her.

Stacey Barker, 24, appeared briefly before Judge Steven Ogden in a courtroom holding cell behind large glass windows and asked through a public defender that her arraignment be postponed for two weeks while she finds a defense attorney or one is assigned to the case. Ogden granted the request and ordered Barker back on May 11.

The body of Emma Leigh Barker was found March 19 in tall grass at an intersection off Interstate 5 in Sylmar, after a massive search launched the previous night when Stacey Barker's brother called authorities to report that his sister was injured at a park-and-ride lot on Avenue S and her daughter was missing.

Barker's Antelope Valley court appearance came after the District Attorney's office filed charges of murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse against her Monday. The complaint alleges "that the defendant willfully caused and permitted the child to be injured and harmed and that injury resulted in death."

Coroner's officials have not yet issued a final report on how the girl died but sheriff's detectives suspect she was suffocated, a Sheriff's Department spokesman said Monday.

"Detectives believe that … based on interviews and the condition of the victim that she likely suffocated," Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

The maximum penalty Barker faces is 25 years to life in prison, Deputy District Attorney Kelly Cromer said.

"This case is a tragedy," Cromer said. "A beautiful 18-month-old girl is dead."

Friends and family were also in the courtroom Monday, sitting together in the audience. They declined to comment following Barker's appearance.

Barker is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Stacey Barker first told authorities she had been assaulted as she put her daughter into her car seat at Lancaster City Park. Deputies said Barker told them she was knocked unconscious, and when she woke up six hours later in the Palmdale park-and-ride lot the toddler was gone.

Deputies said when they found Barker she was partially clad and suffering from a head injury.

Early in the investigation, deputies, assisted by bloodhounds, went from car to car at the park-and-ride lot in hopes of finding the toddler. Several pieces of clothing were found behind a bush and were later identified as the woman's, authorities said.

Barker eventually recanted her story, though.

Late that morning she admitted her daughter had not been abducted and instead died as the result of an accident. She told authorities she panicked and dumped her daughter's body out of fear she would be blamed. She then directed investigators to where she left the child's body, officials said.

Authorities never disclosed what sort of accident Barker said killed her daughter.

"In statements she gave to police there were different versions of what occurred," Cromer said.

A funeral for Emma on March 24 drew hundreds of family and friends to Palmdale's Desert Lawn Memorial Park. During the service, Barker sat between parents Susan and Gary Barker, holding their hands.

[old_soul]

What a beautiful little girl who will never get to grow up...
Good God, how could she do this to her?
When a child is smothered to death by their very own mother, it's NO accident. She is being charged with 2nd degree murder, why, we haven't an answer to that yet now that we know it was no accident...


Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Emma Leigh Barker's body was found in Sylmar. Authorities think it is likely she was suffocated.Mother charged in killing of 18-month-old daughter
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Emma Leigh Barker's body was found in Sylmar. Authorities think it is likely she was suffocated.
Stacy Barker told authorities she was knocked out and her daughter abducted from a park in Lancaster. The girl had been suffocated hours before Barker contacted authorities, detectives say.
By Richard Winton
April 28, 2009
An Antelope Valley mother who alleged that an attacker knocked her out and abducted her 18-month-old daughter is believed to have suffocated the girl hours earlier and dumped her body in Sylmar, detectives said Monday.

Stacey Barker, 24, was charged with one count each of murder, assault on a child causing death, and child abuse in the death of Emma Leigh Barker, authorities said.


"At this point, as best as we can determine, the infant died through suffocation at the hands of the mother," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Pat Nelson. "After her third or fourth version of events, we knew she wasn't telling the truth, and we were able to determine what happened. At this point, we believe she acted alone."

Detectives arrested Barker last Thursday because of "indications she might flee or disappear," Nelson said. Barker had been staying with relatives since the March 18 disappearance of her daughter and discovery of the child's body near Roxford Street and El Dorado Avenue in deep brush along a fence.

Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said the Los Angeles County coroner's office has yet to determine the cause of death, but based on the information available at this point it is likely the girl suffocated.


Detectives believe that the girl was already dead four or five hours before Stacey Barker contacted authorities to report the child missing and tell of her mysterious abduction.

"Our belief is the child died in the early evening of March 18," Nelson said.

Barker initially told detectives that she was at a Lancaster park near the 14 Freeway and had just placed Emma in her car seat when she was struck from behind by an unknown assailant. She told them that she awoke about 10:30 p.m. five hours later and several miles away at a Palmdale park-and-ride lot, and that her daughter was missing.

But the next day, Barker recanted the tale of assault and abduction that had launched a massive manhunt, Nelson said. She eventually helped sheriff's detectives find her daughter's body and told them she had died in an accident. Detectives then discovered the toddler's body in Sylmar near Interstate 5.

Prosecutors allege that Barker willfully caused and permitted her daughter to be harmed and that the injury resulted in death. Barker, of Quartz Hill, was arrested last week at her grandparents' home in Lancaster.

Barker's arraignment hearing was postponed Monday until May 11. She remains in custody in lieu of $1-million bail.

RIP Beautiful Emma

[Mojave]

I agree with you, Soul. I remembering reading somewhere (perhaps on this site) that smothering is not a quick process. It takes time and pressure, during which the victim (even a baby) will fight and struggle. It sounds very much like this woman made the decision to kill this beautiful little baby

I can never understand it myself. I know not everyone has a motherly instinct but... sheesh. If being a mother was too much for her, didn't she have somewhere she could leave her child? Even a foster home would have been better than this.

[old_soul]

Originally Posted by Mojave

I agree with you, Soul. I remembering reading somewhere (perhaps on this site) that smothering is not a quick process. It takes time and pressure, during which the victim (even a baby) will fight and struggle. It sounds very much like this woman made the decision to kill this beautiful little baby

I can never understand it myself. I know not everyone has a motherly instinct but... sheesh. If being a mother was too much for her, didn't she have somewhere she could leave her child? Even a foster home would have been better than this.

How sad is this, Mojave......

Like I told my husband last night...if you can't deal with your child, leave the kid on anyone's doorstep..anywhere...then go frickin kill yourself! You don't kill the child because You can't cope!

I say anyones's doorstep, because at that point your not going to do the right thing by bringing her to the Hospital or a church. Anywhere is better than dead at that moment....

Strangling or suffocation is very personal, a horrendous death. Little Emma struggled for her life as best she could, and knew who was doing it, as little as she was. I try not to think of that part, it hurts too much.

At least they got her scumbag mother on it, and she'll be going to a prison for child murderers and wind up washing some b******s underwear. Never to breath free air again it the best we can hope for....hopefully she'll hang herself.

What an adorable little girl she was.

[Mojave]

The sad part for me is that they just changed the prison by my house (Lancaster, CA... where I'm guessing this crime was committed). They've decided to transform the prison here into one for 'special needs' inmates - aka those like sex offenders and child killers who have to be protected from the general population. So chances are, mom will stay close to home.

[Nawny]

Originally Posted by old_soul

How sad is this, Mojave......

Like I told my husband last night...if you can't deal with your child, leave the kid on anyone's doorstep..anywhere...then go frickin kill yourself! You don't kill the child because You can't cope!

I say anyones's doorstep, because at that point your not going to do the right thing by bringing her to the Hospital or a church. Anywhere is better than dead at that moment....
Strangling or suffocation is very personal, a horrendous death. Little Emma struggled for her life as best she could, and knew who was doing it, as little as she was. I try not to think of that part, it hurts too much.

At least they got her scumbag mother on it, and she'll be going to a prison for child murderers and wind up washing some b******s underwear. Never to breath free air again it the best we can hope for....hopefully she'll hang herself.What an adorable little girl she was.

ITA with this post OS. This story is another nightmare for another little angel. I noticed it happened in March????

[ladybugg1]

Lives with parents [ killer mother STACEy ]
Middle name MArie.
Ages close.
both have dark hair and partied hardy..look at her MY SPACE page folks...for as long as it lasts.
She has a brother.they all live together.
they work and so does she that is where the similaritiies end.

The knock on the head story.
The kidnapping.
The ability to lie as tough as Casey is not here but many similarities are.I have not yet seen the family of this woman on tv has anyone?Are they as delusional at the ANthony's and as dysfunctional as they are?

Poor babies who are born to such mothers....so sad...

[ladybugg1]

Originally Posted by Danagher

ITA with this post OS. This story is another nightmare for another little angel. I noticed it happened in March????

I did not hear of this case until I saw NG last night? Why wasn't it in the news like Casey's case?
Is it because the news shows are imune to this kinda stuff and want to play it down and notmake instant celebrities of child killing mothers?
That may be a good thing.I think CASEy and STACEy should write to one another since they are twins sorta and feel that a child is in the way so kill the child..SICKOs they are!!

[javahog]

Originally Posted by Danagher

ITA with this post OS. This story is another nightmare for another little angel. I noticed it happened in March????

The LE really kept all info quiet. I think they said they wanted to avoid what was happening in Florida. So, no pictures, no new info, no heinous skanky party photos, no sunshine law=no publicity.

[RaVeN71806]

So sad..I don't even want to think what Emma went through..this just breaks my heart..for little emma

[old_soul]

Originally Posted by Mojave

The sad part for me is that they just changed the prison by my house (Lancaster, CA... where I'm guessing this crime was committed). They've decided to transform the prison here into one for 'special needs' inmates - aka those like sex offenders and child killers who have to be protected from the general population. So chances are, mom will stay close to home.

Mojave, by special needs, does that mean they all will be in private cells, all alone, no buddy, solitary?

I like that idea.

All alone rotting for the rest of whatever life she's going to have.

[Mojave]

LANCASTER - A Lancaster mother suspected of smothering her toddler daughter nearly two months ago pleaded not guilty Monday to murder and other charges in an Antelope Valley courtroom.

Stacey Marie Barker, 24, also faces one count each of assault on a child causing death and child abuse.

The charges stem from a March 18 incident involving the death of Barker's 18-month-old daughter, Emma Leigh Barker. The child's mother initially told authorities she was assaulted as she put her daughter into her car seat at Lancaster City Park.

Barker told deputies she woke up six hours later in a Palmdale park-and-ride lot with her toddler missing, but she later changed her story, admitting her daughter was not abducted and had died as the result of an accident. Barker told investigators she dumped her daughter's body out of fear she would be blamed for the death. She then directed them to where she left the child's body in Sylmar, officials said.

Unlike her first court appearance on April 27 when she wore casual clothing, Barker appeared in a blue-and-yellow Los Angeles County Jail uniform Monday with her hair braided tightly on the top.

Barker sat in a holding cell separated from the room and spoke only a few times, answering Judge Steven Ogden's yes-or-no questions. Barker's attorney entered her plea but refused to comment on the case.

Barker will be back in court June 15 to set a date for her preliminary hearing, which determines whether there is enough evidence for her to stand trial. She remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

Authorities still haven't released details about the accident that Barker told them killed the toddler.

Barker allegedly inflicted wounds to her own head, partially undressed herself and faked semi-consciousness in an attempt to mislead deputies, setting off a search that went from car to car with assistance from bloodhounds at the park-and-ride lot. Several pieces of Barker's clothing were found behind a bush, authorities said.

Under questioning, she admitted the story was fictional and directed authorities to where the toddler's body was found in the 13000 block of El Dorado Avenue in Sylmar.

Barker attended the March 24 funeral for her daughter, which drew hundreds of family and friends to Joshua Memorial Park and Mortuary.

Stacey Barker was arrested April 23.

http://avpress.com/n/12/0512_s3.hts