AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Police records reveal details about the crime scene in the home of 27-year-old Alexus Nelson, who is charged with child abuse, tampering with a deceased human body and more after her daughter’s remains were found there.
After a 911 call, officers responded to Nelson’s apartment in the 1000 block of South Elkhart Way. Nelson allegedly told police that she gave her daughter up for adoption but could not prove it with records.
The Aurora Police Department couldn’t independently verify the adoption either and arrested Nelson on a count of attempting to influence a public servant.
According to a supplemental police affidavit obtained by the Problem Solvers, Nelson “provided consent to search her residence for any evidence that would help in locating” the 5-year-old. Detectives write the daughter’s room was “completely empty and the carpet was extremely dirty with various stains of unknown origin.” There was a notable lack of children’s items in the apartment, according to the affidavit.
Search history, videos implicate mother in child’s death
On May 30, police obtained a search warrant for Nelson’s phone. While looking through Nelson’s search history, detectives found two Google searches on May 2 that included “Can you overdose from melatonin?” and “Can you overdose from Xanax?”
Detectives also found videos of the 5-year-old in Nelson’s camera, where “she appeared to be saying goodbye to family.”
On May 31, detectives obtained a search warrant for Nelson’s home. One detective opened the door to a utility closet located on the exterior patio of the apartment, according to the affidavit.
“Upon opening the door to the closet, he immediately noticed what he recognized to be the distinct odor of decomposing flesh,” the affidavit said.
When investigators opened the closet door, they found “various children’s items” and a “large shopping bag that contained a plastic bag inside.”
Investigators found what were later confirmed to be charred human remains in the bag, also finding bone fragments on the floor of the fireplace inside Nelson’s unit.
“Based on the state of the remains as well as the fragments found in the fireplace, it is apparent that Alexus attempted to destroy (her) remains by burning them.”
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy and confirmed the remains were human on June 1. The affidavit notes, “Further DNA confirmation will follow.”
