Woman charged in death of girl, 4, from child abuse injuries

A 26-year-old woman is facing a murder charge nearly a year after a 4-year-old girl allegedly left in her care died of injuries she suffered from child abuse.

Asha Green was watching the pre-schooler, Cashawnna Love, for the girl’s mother on June 24, 2022, when paramedics were called to the girl’s home in the 7900 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue, according to Cook County prosecutors.

Earlier in the day, Green called the girl’s mother and told her that her daughter fallen, had stopped moving and was having trouble breathing, prosecutors said.

The girl’s mother, who was working at O’Hare Airport at the time, told Green not to call 911, but Green later did, prosecutors said. When the girl’s mother left work early and returned home, paramedics were already there.

The paramedics observed bruising on the girl’s face and body, and she was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she later died.

A paramedic reported hearing Green state “she could not believe she might go to jail over this” while efforts were being made to treat Cashawnna.

An autopsy conducted by the medical examiner’s office later determined the girl’s cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries from child abuse, and her death was ruled a homicide, prosecutors said.

The month before the girl’s death, Cashawnna was brought to a hospital for an infection from a burn on her foot that doctors believed was suspicious, prosecutors said. At the time, the girl’s mother said her daughter suffered the burn in her care, and the state Department of Children and Family Services took custody.

Child welfare officials placed Cashawnna for a time with Green, who was romantically involved with the girl’s mother, according to prosecutors. Cashawanna was returned to her mother’s care a few weeks later.

Prosecutors said Green was actually watching Cashawnna at the time she suffered the burn to her foot, which happened when the girl was alone in a bathtub, according to a text Green allegedly sent the girl’s mother.

Green was taken into custody Friday afternoon, Chicago police records show. Judge Maryam Ahmad ordered her held without bail during a hearing Saturday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Green was expected back in court Wednesday.