Parents charged after 1-year-old twins found in near-fatal condition

Two young parents have been arrested for allegedly abusing their one-year-old twins, who were discovered starving and with serious injuries that doctors described as “near fatal,” prosecutors say.

Armani Coleman, 23, and Zamareon Moat, 18, were charged on Monday over the “horrific” injuries of their son and daughter and for allegedly trying to cover it up, with their disturbing search history including, “can you tell if a baby been choked.”

“The actions of these defendants are incomprehensible in their heinousness: they are alleged to have intentionally starved their medically fragile infant daughter to near death, and are believed to have inflicted a near fatal head injury on their infant son,” Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said in a statement.

“Marks of possible strangulation, as well as bite marks, add to the picture of depravity presented by these defendants,” he added.

Officials were first alerted to the case on Jan. 22, when Chester, Pennsylvania, police responded to a call over an unconscious infant.

Police found the 1-year-old boy in a state of lethargy and shallow breathing, with Coleman and Moat allegedly claiming that the baby likely hit his head on a door jamb while crawling.

Doctors at the Nemours Children’s Hospital diagnosed the infant with facial injury from blunt impact trauma, with the boy requiring surgery to drain a subdural hemorrhage.

Experts noted that the child’s injuries were consistent with shaking or impact events, with Delaware County’s Department of Children and Youth Services (CYS) alerted to the event.

Investigators were then deployed to the home to check on his twin sister, who was found to have suffered a myriad of marks and bruises on her face, as well as scratches and bite marks on her body.

Moat allegedly told police the wounds were self-inflicted, but the claims were inconsistent with the evidence found, prosecutors said.

A medical examiner also found that the parents had been intentionally starving their daughter, to the point where it could have caused her death.

Investigators also uncovered a series of troubling online searches the couple allegedly made suggesting they were hoping to hide the abuse.

Along with looking up if someone could tell that a baby has been choked, Coleman and Moat allegedly searched for “scar removal cream for toddlers” and “how to get rid of a bite mark.” 

Prosecutors noted that both twins had been born testing positive for THC, and that the parents had missed a total of 15 medical appointments required by CYS.

Both Coleman and Moat were charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and conspiracy.

The parents are currently being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, in Thornton.