Police in Maryland are accusing a mother of killing a grandmother and then trying to hide the remains with the help of her own 19-year-old daughter.
Candace Craig, 44, and Salia Hardy are facing charges following the death of 71-year-old Margaret Craig inside a home in Landover in late May, according to the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Police say on June 2, officers responded to a home for a welfare check after a “911 caller advised he had not communicated with Margaret Craig for several days and was worried for her welfare.”
“Candace Craig answered the door and allowed patrol officers access to the home to search for Margaret Craig. When the officers entered the basement, they immediately smelled the odor of decomposition,” the Prince George’s County Police Department said in a statement.
Candace Craig, 44, left, and Salia Hardy, 19, are being charged in connection with the killing of Margaret Craig, a 71-year-old grandmother in Landover, Maryland. (Prince George’s County Police Department )
“Based on additional evidence gathered at the home, as well as multiple interviews, the preliminary investigation suggests Candace Craig murdered her mother on May 23, 2023,” the statement continued. “The following day, Hardy helped her mother attempt to dispose of the remains.”
The motive for the killing is unclear and “remains under investigation,” police say.
“The detectives of the Homicide Unit will ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that both suspects are held accountable for their cruel and criminal behavior,” said Major David Blazer, the commander of the department’s major crimes division.
Candace Craig is facing charges of first and second-degree murder, while Hardy is charged with accessory after the fact.
GRANDMOTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN BEATING DEATH OF 8-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER: POLICE
The Prince George’s County Police Department says the motive for the killing remains under investigation. (Prince George’s County Police Department)
Both women are currently in custody.
“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will confirm the victim’s identity and attempt to identify the cause of death,” police also said.
The killing comes months after a grandmother in North Carolina was charged with murder after allegedly beating her 8-year-old granddaughter to death.
In that case, deputies with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office were called to a hospital in February after a juvenile was taken into the emergency room with severe injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The street in Maryland that the Prince George’s County Police Department responded to after being asked to conduct a welfare check on Margaret Craig. (Google Maps)
Investigators determined the girl was beaten so severely by her grandmother that she died from her injuries. She and several other siblings lived with the grandmother, who was their legal guardian.
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The grandmother, identified as 72-year-old Patricia Ann Ricks, made no statement after being transported to the sheriff’s office. She was charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse with serious injury.
Fox News’ Pilar Arias contributed to this report.
