Melody Townsend Sentenced to Probation in 2017 Markham Baby Death

Two years of probation is the sentence Melody Townsend will serve for the death of her one-year-old daughter in 2017. The Markham mother was found guilty of child endangerment and concealing a homicide. Her daughter, Ana Maria Townsend, was identified as a homicide victim after her body was discovered in a burned and abandoned home.

First responders located the child wrapped in a blanket in the attic of a vacant house in the 15400 block of Hamlin Avenue. Police and firefighters had originally responded to a suspicious fire on July 3, 2017. The case shifted to a murder investigation upon the discovery of the body. Townsend's grandparents reported the mother and baby missing at the time.

Detectives spent five years searching for Townsend before leads directed them to Los Angeles. Markham police announced her arrest in January of this year. Charges included aiding a fugitive in addition to endangerment and concealment. The actual killer has not yet been located despite the ongoing investigation.

Court documents require Townsend to complete domestic violence counseling as part of her sentence. She must also undergo mental health evaluation and treatment. Advocates gathered at the Markham Cook County Courthouse on Thursday to seek an explanation of the outcome. They requested an update on the homicide investigation from officials.

Markham police have not publicly stated whether the baby's father is involved in the death. The father has not been seen since 2017. Townsend received her sentence on Wednesday, concluding the legal proceedings for the two charges against her.