Still no answers in 2-year-old girl’s death

It has been five months since a toddler was found lifeless in a Wichita field, and to date, no one has been held accountable for the circumstances surrounding her death.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said in a recent interview that investigators continue to look for answers about what happened to 2-year-old Jhornee Bland.

But he would not say whether criminal charges would be coming for the person who last cared for the girl then withheld information about her whereabouts: her baby sitter, 25-year-old Tyerria Miles.

Miles was arrested and jailed after leading officers to Jhornee’s body in the 1900 block of North Hydraulic on May 9. But she was released when a coroner’s examination didn’t immediately turn up anything suspicious about the girl’s death.

Exactly what killed the little girl is still unknown.

When her body was found, Jhornee had no physical injuries that suggested a cause of death. Autopsy and toxicology reports – which many thought would unravel the mystery – gave no explanation, either.

Disclosing what he said he could about the official inquiry into Jhornee’s death over the past five months, Bennett said that the Wichita Police Department “has brought the case over to us several times.”

The investigation, he said, is ongoing.

“We’ve actively been involved in the investigation, and just this last week – I guess, these last 10 days – (the police department has) submitted more for us to review,” he said.

Police have said they think Jhornee died sometime between 1 and 8:50 a.m. on May 8 at a Wichita motel after spending time there for a birthday party. She had been in Miles’ care since May 4.

When Jhornee’s mother asked about her welfare on May 8, Miles said the girl was fine and that she had dropped her off with an acquaintance at Oliver and 31st Street South, according to police accounts.

When a search for her there came up empty, Jhornee’s mother called 911. Authorities later determined the apartment Miles said she left the girl at had been vacant.

The next day, Miles led police to the girl’s body. She denied knowing how Jhornee died but told police she placed the toddler in her vehicle, then later in the field, after finding her lifeless.

Speaking generally about death investigations, Bennett said a decision on whether to file criminal charges in a case can take longer than expected if a coroner can’t determine how a person died.

In Jhornee’s case, he said, his office is “making sure we’ve exhausted everything” before moving forward.

This story was originally published October 10, 2016 at 9:02 PM with the headline "Still no answers in 2-year-old girl’s death."