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

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