Bellingham police arrest woman suspected of murdering 3-year-old child
A 27-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly murdering a 3-year-old child, according to a Bellingham Police Department press release Friday, Dec. 6.
Kamee Nicole Dixon was arrested Dec. 5 on suspicion of second-degree murder for the death of Hazel Journey Homan, the release states.
On Nov. 27, a 911 call was made for a possible pediatric cardiac arrest in the 2100 block of Texas Street. That morning, Dixon was Hazel’s sole and primary caretaker and called 911 to say Hazel was possibly choking on something, according to the release.
Dixon is not Hazel’s biological mother, but is in a relationship with Hazel’s biological father, who was at work at the time of the incident. Hazel was taken to St. Joseph hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia. Medical staff determined she also was suffering from a brain bleed, the release states.
Hazel was then taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment. Doctors with the Department of Pediatrics at Harborview determined Hazel suffered “bilateral subdural hemorrhages consistent with shaken baby syndrome,” the release states.
Doctors told investigators there were no signs of choking present and the injuries were a result of suspected physical abuse, according to the release. Doctors said Hazel’s brain injuries were inflicted very shortly before she lost consciousness the morning of Nov. 27. They said her death was a direct result of an assault, the release states.
The investigation revealed Hazel’s injuries and ultimate death were caused by Dixon, the release states.
The King County Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on cause and manner of Hazel’s death as of Friday afternoon.
The results of a medical examination and continuing investigation indicate Hazel suffered an ongoing pattern of abuse, as she had healing broken bones and there were other documented injuries, Child Protective Services reports and other information, the release states.
Dixon was arrested without incident Dec. 5 in the 4100 block of Cordata Parkway.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family pay for funeral and medical expenses.
‘It has an impact’
According to Whatcom County Superior Court records, Dixon has previous convictions for first-degree criminal trespassing and third-degree theft from 2012. She also has juvenile convictions for second-degree assault and witness tampering from 2007.
“Our condolences go out to the family and the community, and just gratitude to our officers who investigated a very difficult case professionally and with an enormous amount of compassion,” Bellingham Police Chief David Doll told The Bellingham Herald. “You can’t turn your emotional responses off. We raise children, and we certainly think about our families when we investigate cases like this, and it has an impact on us.”
Doll urged people to say something if they see or suspect something and said there are resources available to help.
“I think it’s shocking. I think people think ‘How can something like this happen in this day and age’ and ‘how can such a violent event occur on such an innocent victim,’” Doll said.
A parenting plan
Hazel’s biological father filed for a parenting plan in early October, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents.
Documents show Hazel had lived with her grandmother from November 2017 through June 2019, when she then began living with her biological father.
Hazel’s father said he had been the primary parent in Hazel’s life the past three years and maintained full employment for at least the past year to pay for Hazel’s basic needs, the documents state.
Hazel’s father asked the court to approve the parenting plan he proposed because Hazel’s biological mother had a history of substance use disorder problems, was “unsafe,” and had moved out of state in 2018. Hazel’s mother was arrested in Iowa last summer, according to jail records.
Hazel’s father also said he had participated in what was asked of him in a dependency case involving Hazel, and that they had successfully been reunited, the court records show.
It appears a judge had not yet ruled on the parenting plan, court records show.
Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org.
This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 7:27 AM with the headline "Bellingham police arrest woman suspected of murdering 3-year-old child."
