Flagstaff toddler death: Mother accused of hiding child's body in freezer for weeks

Flagstaff child murder case: Mom accused of hiding toddler in freezer to try hiding smell

Court documents show a mother confessed to throwing her toddler into a crib before hiding his body in a freezer. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz learns more, as questions swirl regarding the child being moved from Arizona DCS to tribal custody before his death.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - New court documents reveal the disturbing details of the case involving the toddler found dead inside a Flagstaff hotel room over the weekend, indicting the child may have been injured for days leading up to his death.

What we know:

 The documents said 31-year-old Ochra Manakaja told Flagstaff police she threw her son into his crib out of frustration in late April.

The child landed on his back, and the crying got worse. Manakaja said the boy seemed sick in the days following, as he was not eating, seemingly running a fever, vomiting and looking pale. He died on May 1, when Manakaja believes he choked on his throw-up.

Investigators say she hid the toddler's body in a freezer for two weeks to hide the smell before calling 911 from a hotel room to confess. Officers found the child's frozen body wrapped in plastic and a blanket inside the room along with her two older sons, who were unharmed.

Related

article

Mother of toddler found dead inside Flagstaff hotel room arrested, police say

The mother of an toddler who was found dead inside a Flagstaff hotel room over the weekend has been arrested.

Timeline:

Manakaja was arrested on May 18, after police responded to reports of a possible dead infant at the La Quinta Inn, located at 1000 N. Bronco Way, just after 9:30 a.m. the day prior. 

The Arizona Department of Child Safety previously removed the child from the home in December 2024, but officials say the mother's tribe took over jurisdiction shortly after. 

What they're saying:

Attorney Matt Boatman is now questioning how the system failed.

"It appears that the tribe did have custody of the child and that there was no follow-up there or no plan put in place to ensure this child's safety," said Boatman, a partner at the Gallagher & Kennedy law firm. "At the same time, I have a lot of questions. I want to know what happened at each stage of this proceeding."

What you can do:

Police ask anyone with information on the case to call them at 928-774-1414. You can also call Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.

What's next:

Manakaja is now facing first-degree murder and child abuse charges. She remains in custody on a $1 million cash-only bond.

Map of where the toddler was found.