Powell informed Denver Police detectives she arrived at the East Virginia Avenue apartment shared by her daughter, fifteen-month-old Amber's mother, and the girl's father, Emmanuel Enard, at around 5 p.m. on August 2. During her initial interview, she claimed that she merely ate pizza, watched movies with the family and then went to bed, only to be awakened the following morning by screaming when Amber was discovered not breathing.
This assertion is called into question by a neighbor, who told 7News she heard near-constant crying from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., occasionally interrupted by a woman yelling at the child to shut up.
And then there's the account of a child interviewed at the Denver Children's Advocacy Center. The child described Amber "pooping, getting slapped in the head, and then dying." To demonstrate what happened, the child repeatedly rammed a doll's head into a wall.
Powell didn't confirm this account, but in a subsequent interview, she did concede that Amber had defecated on the carpeting the day before her death. She said she cleaned the feces off the toddler's leg, asked for a change of clothes, and left her watching a movie on a bed where she later fell asleep.
No explanation was given for the bruises emergency personnel found on Amber's face, chest, abdomen, back, shoulder and forearm. And no mention, either, of Powell's previous criminal history, which is substantial. Her record of arrests reportedly dates back approximately two decades, and includes vehicle theft, disturbing the peace, shoplifting and parole violations.
The latest arrest affidavit is below, followed by our previous coverage.
Original item, 12:37 p.m. August 4: Yesterday, after fifteen-month-old Amber Enard died, her father Emmanuel Enard reportedly said, "I feel like I should be in the grave with my baby... I was just holding her and playing with her yesterday." Denver Police believe he won't be able to do so again due to the actions of Kimberly Powell, Amber's grandmother, who's been arrested on investigation of child abuse resulting in death.
According to the Denver Police Department, officers arrived at a home on the 10000 block of East Virginia Avenue in the wake of Emergency Medical Services personnel called in response to a child -- Amber -- who wasn't breathing. She subsequently died at Children's Hospital.
No cause of death thus far from the Denver coroner's office, but the DPD points out that there were signs of bruising on the child's body. The subsequent investigation soon led to the arrest of Powell, who's 48.
Look below to see a larger version of Powell's booking photo.
More from our Colorado Crimes archive: "Calvin Pitts & Amanda Deleon charged even though coroner doesn't know what killed baby."
