KAUFMAN COUNTY, TEXAS — The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office and Texas Rangers arrested Natalie Parker, 37, of Forney Monday after Parker surrendered herself at the sheriff's office in connection with the December death of a 5-month-old in her foster care.
According to the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office, Parker was charged with Tampering with Witness, Injury to Child (both second degree felonies) and Abandoning or Endangering a Child (a state jail felony).
On Dec. 29, 2018, Kaufman County deputies received a 911 call from Parker's house in the 2000 block of Chisholm Trail in Forney reporting an unresponsive infant. When the deputies and EMS arrived, they found that the 5-month-old girl was already dead.
Deputies determined Parker was the baby's foster parent, and was also the foster parent to five other children, one of which is the dead girl's brother. The remaining foster children have been placed in other homes.
Parker's 19-year-old son Christian Richmond also lived at the house with them. Richmond was arrested on child pornography charges on Jan. 3 and posted a $15,000 bond on Jan. 4. Officials say they don't believe the child pornography charges are related to the baby's death.
An autopsy on the baby is pending.
