Grieving Father of Suitcase Murder Victim Slams Child Services for Failing to Prevent Cleveland Double Homicide

DeShaun Chatman speaks out after his daughter was found in a suitcase. He claims Cleveland CPS ignored warnings that could have prevented the double murder.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 7:14 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from PEOPLE

A Preventable Tragedy in the Heart of Cleveland

The father of one of two young girls discovered dead in a Cleveland field has broken his silence, characterizing the double homicide as a failure of institutional oversight. Speaking under the weight of immense grief, DeShaun Chatman identified his daughter, 8-year-old Mila Chatman, as one of the victims found stuffed into suitcases on March 2. According to Chatman, the loss of life was not a sudden accident but the culmination of a situation he had desperately tried to remedy through legal and social service channels for several years.

Allegations of Institutional Negligence

Chatman has directed significant criticism toward Child Protective Services, alleging that his repeated attempts to gain custody of his daughter were dismissed. The grieving parent claims he was "iced out" of Mila’s life for four years despite alerting authorities to potential stressors within the household. According to Chatman, he explicitly told the mother and agency officials that he was ready to take the child if the primary caregiver felt overwhelmed, yet his pleas were reportedly ignored because the children appeared to have basic necessities like a home and beds.

The Rapid Identification of a Primary Suspect

In the wake of the gruesome discovery made by a local dog walker, the Cleveland Division of Police acted with high-speed precision to secure an arrest. Within 48 hours, detectives apprehended 28-year-old Aliyah Henderson, who now faces two counts of aggravated murder. Police Chief Dorothy Todd noted in a formal statement that while public details were initially withheld to protect the investigation, the methodical work of her detectives allowed for the quick identification of a person of interest, eventually leading to Henderson being taken into custody at a local residence.