Sacramento County couple face murder charges in 8-month-old child’s August death

A Sacramento County couple suspected of murder after a months-long investigation into the August death of their 8-month daughter will face a Sacramento Superior Court judge later today on the charge.

Sheriff’s detectives arrested the couple Tuesday. Hussein Ali Abughazaleh, 26, and Kristina Kellymarie Siedlecki, 25, remain held without bail at Sacramento County Main Jail.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s investigators say Jannah Abughazaleh was severely scalded during her bath, but her parents Hussein Abughazaleh and Kristina Siedlecki did not take her to hospital for fear of being arrested. Instead, authorities allege the pair kept the child home for several more days as her condition deteriorated.

Sheriff’s child abuse investigators found the 8-month-old unresponsive in August with serious burns over much of her body, Sheriff’s officials said in a statement.

Investigators began their investigation into the death in August, and days ago, Sacramento County Coroner’s officials released their autopsy findings officially ruling Jannah’s death a homicide.

Darrell Smith

The Sacramento Bee

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Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.