Howard County police have charged a mother with the death of her 3-year-old child in Columbia. Shalyne Brown, 27, has been charged with second-degree murder, and first- and second-degree child abuse. She does not have a permanent address but was staying at a residence in Columbia at the time of the child’s death.
Police were called to the residence Nov. 1, 2024 for a deceased child. Officers responded and observed multiple bruises and scars on the child’s body. Autopsy findings completed in March 2025 indicated the death was a homicide as a result of dehydration and malnourishment.
Through detailed investigation, detectives determined that Brown was responsible for the child’s death due to neglect and abuse. She was recently located and arrested in Pennsylvania and has been transferred to the Howard County Detention Center, where she is being held without bond.
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