Mom Slits Daughter's Throat, Jumps Off Bridge

"AHWAHNEE, CA — The Madera County Sheriff's Department is investigating an apparent murder suicide that happened Tuesday morning near Ahwahnee.

"Investigators believe 23-year-old Crystal Lynn Lewis killed her 5-year-old daughter, Marijane Lyn Lewis, before taking her own life.

"The Sheriff's Department is investigating the murder but preliminary reports say it appears the mother slit the child's throat.

"The child's body was discovered around 4:30 a.m. by her grandparents, where she and her mother lived, at their home located on Windsong Way, just north of Ahwahnee.

"Crystal Lewis' body was found under the William Sells Jr. Bridge in Mariposa County, about 2 miles from their home, around 7:30 a.m.

"Madera County Sheriff John Anderson says the case is complicated by the fact that the child’s murder happened in Madera County and the mother’s suicide happened in Mariposa County. `…so they are doing the coroner case and we are looking at a homicide case on this side,` Anderson said.

"The investigation is currently looking for a motive for the mother killing her child before taking her own life."

From CBS47.tv...