US mother confesses to killing 4-year-old daughter 'to save her'

The mother of a four-year-old girl who was reported missing and who died of homicidal violence has been charged with murder, in Texas, United States.

Krystal Lewandowski, 34, was booked into jail Monday night and faces a charge of capital murder of a person under 10 years old, Fort Worth police said.

Officers were called to the 2100 block of Hurley Avenue in the Near Southside at about 11:40 a.m. Monday for a report of a missing child.

The department said the first officer arrived within three minutes and quickly determined there was a homicide.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Lewandowski admitted slitting her daughter’s throat last night and placing her in a trash can in the back yard.

Officers reported that’s where they found her.

“Lewandowski made several statements about causing harm to her daughter because she was told to do so, or something worse would happen,” a detective wrote in an affidavit.

Earlier Monday, Ofc. Buddy Calzada, a police spokesman, confirmed a homicide investigation was underway and the Crimes Against Children Unit was notified.

“The reality of it is this is a very sad case, we have a child that has been murdered,” Calzada said.

Police said they took the victim’s 18-month-old brother into protective custody. He was unhurt.

Child Protective Services said it had a history with the family but hadn’t had any contact for the past year.

A CPS spokeswoman declined to release any details of the agency’s past involvement, citing privacy rules.