The distressing case of Oaklee Mae Snow, a 1-year-old girl from Oklahoma, has taken a shocking turn as her badly decomposed body was discovered at the bottom of a dresser. Her mother, Madison Marshall, and her boyfriend, Roan Waters, have now been charged with her murder.
After Oaklee was reported missing in January, a nationwide search led to the finding of her remains on April 21 in an abandoned home near Martinsville, Indiana, as reported by the Indianapolis Star. The Morgan County Coroner’s Office recently confirmed that Oaklee’s death, characterized by a broken leg at the knee, was a result of homicide by “unspecified means.”
During the investigation, Madison Marshall confessed to her involvement in the horrific incident and guided the police to the property, located approximately 25 miles south of Indianapolis. Marshall has been charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and assisting a criminal, identified as her boyfriend, Roan Waters. Waters faces charges of murder and several counts related to neglect.
Marshall revealed to investigators that they had moved Oaklee’s body to Morgan County in February after Waters allegedly killed her. In January, Marshall had taken Oaklee and her 7-month-old son from their father’s home without his consent, and they subsequently traveled to Indiana with Waters, who had family near Indianapolis. The couple resided in a troubled location on Albany Street, where drug use was prevalent.
According to Fox 59, Marshall recounted that she and Waters were awoken on February 9 by Oaklee’s cries of hunger. In response, Waters threw the defenseless child to the floor, causing her head to be struck. Marshall claimed that he later forced the girl to bounce on an oversized rubber ball, despite her being too small for such play. Rushing to the living room, Marshall discovered Waters holding Oaklee’s motionless body, with blood and saliva dripping from her mouth.
Marshall alleged that she attempted to call 911 when she realized her daughter was dying, but Waters forcefully knocked the phone from her hand. Shortly after, the couple left with the wrapped body in Waters’ car and drove to Morgan County, where he disposed of the remains.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, a distraught and weeping Marshall eventually led the authorities to the abandoned house, where the remains of a blond girl—presumably Oaklee—were discovered, according to new charging documents cited by the outlet.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears emphasized the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Oaklee’s short life, stating, “Her time on this earth was very much defined by adults abusing her, and the allegation here is that abuse eventually led to her death.” The investigation revealed a pattern of abuse spanning multiple days, not limited to Indiana but also involving incidents in Oklahoma and Colorado, told NY Post.
Neighborhood residents on Albany Street spoke of ongoing troubles associated with the house, with allegations of drug-related activities. Duane De Clue expressed regret that he had not been aware of the severity of the situation, stating, “Terrible situation. Wish it could have been avoided. Wish there was something I could have done to intervene, but I didn’t know things were that dramatic over there. I know they fuss and fight and argue and sell all of their stuff, but I didn’t know there were children directly involved in any of that stuff.”
