Dionne Parker

Dionne Parker, an 8-month-old black female, was found unresponsive with blunt force injuries Tuesday, Dec. 8, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials. The location of her injury was not immediately known to the coroner.

Dionne was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital and then transferred to Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino County, where she was pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 12, said Craig Harvey, chief coroner investigator.

Harvey said Dionne's mother had apparently left her in someone else's care at the time of the incident, but did not know where the incident happened. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction.

[Updated Dec. 21 at 2:20 p.m.: Dion Chevelle Parker, a 25-year-old black man, was arrested Dec. 8 in connection to the death of Dionne Parker.

He has been charged with child abuse, torture, attempted murder, and attempted assault on a child causing death. He is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 23 in Antelope Valley, and is being held in lieu of $1,002,000 bail.

Updated Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.: Keri Smith, the assistant district attorney prosecuting Parker, said he has plead not guilty to these charges.

Smith said she will likely amend the felony complaint filed against Parker to include one count of murder after a meeting with homicide detectives later this week. Once the complaint is amended, Parker's hearing on Dec. 23 will probably be continued to a later date and he will have the opportunity to enter another plea, she said.

Smith said Dion Parker is the father of Dionne Parker, and the incident happened at their home in Lancaster. Officials have not released the specific address, or any other details about the case.]

-- Anthony Pesce