Man charged over rape, burning death of five-year-old girl
A 22-year-old Detroit man has been charged with the rape and murder of five-year-old Mariha Smith in 2011.
Darnell Cheatham is facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder, arson, torture, child abuse, dismemberment and mutilation of a body after allegedly raping the child before setting her on fire.
Cheatham was previously arrested and considered a suspect after failing a lie detector test with the child's aunt, Quanita Smith.
Investigators believe Cheatham spent early hours of July 24, 2011, at the house of Mariha's mother and aunt. This is where she was last seen, asleep in the front room of the house.
He is accused of then leaving the house with the five-year-old around 3:30am before sexually assaulting and killing her, then setting the mattress on fire.
When the Detroit Fire Department arrived to the scene of a fire at an abandoned home around 8am, Mariha's crushed skull and charred body were discovered.
"This very difficult case was solved due to the diligence and tenacity of Wayne County prosecutors and Wayne County Prosecutor's Office investigators," said Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy.
"Much of the work was done on their own time to finally bring justice to little Mariha."
