PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth police say a 31-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the death of a 5-year-old child earlier this year.
Detectives arrested Ekara Mikkia Cowles on Friday following an interview with investigators. The charges stem from a May 2025 incident on Stratford Street.
On May 28, officers were called to the 300 block of Stratford Street for a report of an unresponsive child. The child was taken to a local hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.
Cowles is being held at the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office awaiting arraignment. She faces the following charges:
- Accessory to felony homicide
- Accessory to malicious wounding
- Accessory to felony child neglect
- Accessory to cruelty to a child
- Accessory to fail to secure medical care for an injured child
- Accessory to contributing to the delinquency of a child
Police say the investigation remains active and is being handled by the department’s Major Crimes Unit. No additional information has been released.
