VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A 2-year-old girl was found dead in a hotel room at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront early Monday morning, according to police.
Officers responded to the 3600 block of Atlantic Avenue around 3:30 a.m. In the room, they found the girl's body and a woman who was having a medical emergency, the Virginia Beach Police Department said.
Our sister station, WUSA9, confirmed through the Metropolitan Police Department that the case is connected to a DC mom, Leandra Andrade, who fled with her 2-year-old daughter late last week after losing a custody battle for the child. Officials said she had not been seen since Friday.
MPD also said no Amber Alert was issued for Andrade’s child because there was no known, immediate threat posed to the girl at the time she left with her mother. The department said the girl was also not reported missing.
DC authorities did become involved in the case, however, after a friend of Andrade’s contacted the department about concerning posts Andrade had made on social media.
Shortly after, MPD determined Andrade had traveled south to Virginia Beach. MPD said it then alerted police officers in Virginia Beach to Andrade’s whereabouts.
MPD said in a statement to 13News Now:
We were made aware of their potential whereabouts in VA Beach, which initiated VBPD’s assistance.
The cause of the girl's death is unknown and how it happened isn't apparent, but the police department is investigating it as a "suspicious" death.
The Virginia Department of Health medical examiner is conducting an autopsy of the girl and will provide a report to investigators once it's done.
The little girl's name has not been released at this time.
Anyone with information about what happened can call the Virginia Beach Police Department Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 or anonymously through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. You can also submit a tip online at P3Tips.com.