How Could You? Hall of Shame-Meelah Miller case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Airway Heights, Washington,  adoptive mother Mandie Miller , 33, and her boyfriend Aleksander Kurmoyarov, 28, “were charged with one count of failure to notify law enforcement of the death of a child. The couple reportedly told police the child had been dead since September, but they kept he body because they “wanted to spend more time with her.”

On Wednesday, Airway Heights Detectives received information from detectives in Mitchell, S.D. that a major crime occurred in the city of Airway Heights.

According to Mitchell Police Department (MPD), Kurmoyarov and Miller traveled from Airway Heights to South Dakota with the body of Miller’s dead eight-year-old adoptive daughter.

MPD located Kurmoyarov and Miller with a U-Haul tow-behind trailer that they stated had a coffin inside. They told police Miller’s daughter was in the coffin.

Kurmoyarov told investigators that Miller’s daughter died “a little before Halloween 2022,” but Miller told investigators that her daughter died on Sept. 10,[2022].

Kurmoyarov admitted that he did not seek medical attention for Miller’s dead daughter when she died because he and Miller were “afraid that they would get in trouble.”

Kurmoyarov never notified Washington state law enforcement of the daughter’s death. While in South Dakota, neither Kurmoyarov nor Miller notified law enforcement of the young girl’s death.

The Airway Heights Police Department (AHPD) is working with the Spokane County Major Crimes Unit, Spokane County Forensics, Spokane Tribal Police Department and the Michelle Police Department in Mitchell, South Dakota.

There is no current threat to the public’s safety. The two suspects are currently in custody and being held in South Dakota.”

Airway Heights couple who kept daughter’s dead body for 4 months arrested in South Dakota
[Krem 2 12/16/22 by Jordy Blaine]

“Subsequently, charges of second-degree murder were filed against both, an official with the Davison County Jail in South Dakota tells PEOPLE.

According to the Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., both Kurmoyarov and Miller are additionally charged with unlawful imprisonment and first-degree criminal mistreatment. The newspaper, citing search warrants, identifies the child as Meelah Miller, who was Miller’s niece and her adopted daughter.”

Wash. Couple Accused of Murdering Girl, 8, Then Driving to S.D. with Body in U-Haul Trailer
[People 12/20/22 by Greg Hanlon]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A former boyfriend of Miller contacted police in Washington on Dec. 16, telling them that Miller had called him on Nov. 16 to tell him that the child had died, to which he recounted responding “What did you guys do to her?” Miller denied doing anything to the child, telling the ex-boyfriend that she had died on Nov. 5, and that her tribe had paid to fly her back to South Dakota for burial.

Miller reportedly told the former boyfriend that the child had suffered chest pains and that they had taken her to the Indian Health Service hospital, who sent them home. She reportedly then said that the child vomited pink vomit and passed out and was deceased by the time an ambulance arrived.

An ambulance was never called. Documents also said that Miller told investigators that the child had died after choking on a strawberry milkshake, and that they did not call 9-1-1 because it would take an ambulance half an hour to arrive. It is noted by investigators that Miller’s claim did not make sense, and that she appeared to be deceptive about the cause of the child’s death.

After the couple had talked to Davison County officials, investigators in Washington searched the residence in Airway Heights on a warrant on Dec. 15. Investigators reported finding multiple differently sized zip ties, both intact and cut, as well as multiple varieties of air freshening products and sage placed on a shell on the floor of the child’s bedroom.

The doctor who finally performed an autopsy on the child on Dec.15 reported that she had an injury to her tibia, lesions on her right wrist and ankles consistent with being tied up, and that she was extremely malnourished, weighing just 26 lbs.

According to growth charts from the CDC in May, 2000, and eight-year-old girl should weigh approximately between 42 and 80 lbs.

Documents show the doctor determined the child’s cause of death to be homicide.

Other forms of abuse are also described, with investigators reporting that Kurmoyarov told them that an autopsy on the child would reveal broken toes. Kurmoyarov said this was because Miller would hit the child’s toes with a hammer when she was “acting out.” He also stated that the child was tied up for 4-6 hours on the day she died.

Further admissions of the use of restraints are outlined in the documents, with Kurmoyarov also admitted that he and Miller would tie her up for 4-6 hours a day at their residence.

Both Miller and Kurmoyarov are due back in a Davison County courtroom on Jan. 5.”

Documents detail abuse leading to death of child
[Kekoland 12/30/22 by Jacob Newton]

Update 2:“The Airway Heights suspect charged in the December 2022 death of his eight-year-old adopted daughter changed his plea to guilty Friday morning.

Aleksander Kurmoyarov entered a plea agreement with the state. The agreement requires his full cooperation and testimony on the case. It also amended his charges to second degree murder, second degree assault, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to all five counts.

The plea agreement takes life in prison off the table. Prosecutors instead recommend a nearly 23-year sentence. Kurmoyarov’s sentencing is scheduled for April 3 next year.

In December last year, Kurmoyarov was arrested with his partner, Mandie Miller, for allegedly abusing their adopted daughter Meela. That abuse led to her death, according to police. Court documents show the couple then drove across the country carrying the girls’ body in a U-Haul.

Court documents released after the couple’s arrest in South Dakota detailed the couple’s history of abusing their young daughter. According to those documents, Kurmoyarov and Miller consistently abused their daughter leading up to her death and never had contact with police or CPS.

Miller’s trial is expected to begin March 4, 2024. ”

Airway Heights man takes plea deal in child death case
[KREM 9/29/23 by Amanda Roley]

Update 3:“A trial date has been set for one of the two people charged with the death of an eight-year-old adopted girl in Airway Heights.

Mandie Miller was in court again on Monday on second-degree murder charges. A trial date was set by the judge for September 30th.

Both the prosecution and her defense attorney agreed that they had a lengthy witness list they needed to make contact with between now and then.

Miller and her partner, Aleksander Kurmoyarov, were arrested in December 2022 in South Dakota after they found an eight-year-old’s body in the back of a U-Haul trailer.

Prior to the girl’s death, there had been documented trips to their home by CPS and allegations of abuse.”

Trial date set for suspect charged in death of adopted girl in Airway Heights

[KXLY 2/5/24 by Vincent Saglimbeni]