This story has been updated here: https://www.chronline.com/stories/two-suspects-in-unrelated-homicides-released-wednesday-pending-charges-in-lewis-county,307953
An Olympia woman was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly causing the death of an 8-month-old baby girl in Centralia late last year.
The baby reportedly died at Providence Centralia Hospital after Centralia police officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a report that she was “unconscious and not breathing” at a residence in the 500 block of Girard Street at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2022.
An autopsy later revealed the baby’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, according to a news release from the Centralia Police Department. The baby “had also sustained multiple other injuries to her body,” per the news release.
Following an investigation by the Centralia Police Department and the Lewis County Coroner’s Office, detectives developed probable cause to arrest Haylea A. Hutchings, 31, of Olympia, for homicide by abuse.
Hutchings was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 5:21 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, according to jail records.
Her preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Charges had not been filed as of noon on Wednesday.
The Centralia Police Department stated Wednesday afternoon that it will release no additional information on the incident at this time.
The department encourages anyone with information on the incident to call 360-330-7680.
This article will be updated.
