Sanford mother charged in 2-year-old daughter's death

SANFORD, Fla. — Seminole County investigators said they now have enough evidence to charge a mother with the death of her 2-year-old daughter.

Rachel Fryer told police her daughter died after she stopped breathing.

But now, investigators said the girl was killed by blunt force trauma to the head.

Fryer, 32, is being charged with murder based on evidence gathered by Sanford police.

Earlier this month, Fryer turned herself at the Sanford Police Department, saying her daughter's death was a mistake, but police are calling the child's death a homicide.

"We knew that she wasn't going to go anywhere once she was in jail. We knew there was more to this case," said Shannon Cordingly of the Sanford Police Department.

Fryer claimed her daughter, Tariji Gordon, stopped breathing, and, instead of calling 911, she tried to give her CPR. The girl died.

Fryer told police she then drove the little girl's body to Putnam County to bury her. Initially, police arrested Fryer only on charges of aggravated child neglect, but they kept digging.

"We worked around the clock. We wanted to make sure that we had enough evidence so any charges brought against her were going to stick, and we have a very solid case," said Cordingly.

A medical examiner's report said Gordon died from blunt force trauma to the head and she had bite marks on her body that matched Fryer's teeth.

Fryer also faces charges of aggravated child abuse, tampering with or destroying evidence and mishandling of a dead body.

Fryer is due to face a judge Thursday afternoon on the new charges.

Previous Stories:

• Vigil held after police recover missing 2-year-old's body

• New documents shed light in baby's death case

• Mother of toddler who was found dead, arrested before

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