Four-month-old Maddison Darden was left in the care of Christian Angel Cookmeyer, 26, of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, in a hotel room on Beach Boulevard in Biloxi, Mississippi, while her mother went to work. When the mother returned on December 10, 2022, she found the infant unresponsive and limp. The child was taken to a hospital where medical personnel determined she had severe injuries consistent with abuse. Maddison was subsequently transferred to Children's Hospital in New Orleans, where she was taken off life support and died on December 14, 2022. Police also recovered 25 grams of THC products in the hotel room, in proximity to a 4-year-old child also in Cookmeyer's care. Cookmeyer was initially charged with felony child abuse, felony possession of a controlled substance, and felony child endangerment, with the charges later upgraded to capital murder.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Both articles state the child had "severe, potentially life-threatening injuries" that were "consistent with abuse" according to medical personnel (WLOX). The caregiver was charged with capital murder after the child died. While specific mechanisms of inflicted injury are not named, the characterization of injuries as abuse-consistent and the resulting capital murder charge strongly imply the child sustained inflicted injuries.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
The WLOX article states that "the infant's mother left the baby in Cookmeyer's care when she went to work." This describes a caregiving/babysitting arrangement where Cookmeyer was left responsible for the child while the mother was at work. While his exact designation (babysitter, friend, paramour) is not specified, the arrangement functionally describes babysitting.
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
The WLOX article states that "the infant's mother left the baby in Cookmeyer's care when she went to work." Cookmeyer's exact relationship to the mother or child is never specified. However, the context of a man caring for a woman's infant and a 4-year-old in a hotel room while she works is suggestive of a paramour or close friend relationship, though this cannot be confirmed from the text alone.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both articles confirm that Christian Angel Cookmeyer was charged. The WLOX article states: "Christian Angel Cookmeyer, 26, is now held on a charge of capital murder, which was upgraded from felony child abuse." The Sun Herald article confirms: "Biloxi police upgraded his charge to capital murder." He was also initially charged with felony child abuse, felony possession of a controlled substance, and felony child endangerment.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Both articles explicitly state that the incident occurred in a hotel room. The WLOX article states: "officers responded to a hotel room in the 1700 Block of Beach Boulevard." The Sun Herald article states: "Cookmeyer, 26, was caring for the baby in a hotel room located in the 1700 block of Beach Blvd."
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The WLOX article states that "officers also recovered 25 grams of THC products" from the location where Cookmeyer was caring for the children. The Sun Herald article confirms: "Police recovered a felony amount of an illegal, controlled substance. The substance was recovered in proximity to the 4-year-old." Cookmeyer was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, directly connecting the substance to the caregiver.
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