Oklahoma Grandmother Faces Murder Charge After 3-Year-Old Girl Found Dead in a Trash Can

An Oklahoma grandmother is facing a murder charge after her three-year-old granddaughter was found dead in a trash can early this week.

In a press release, the Oklahoma City Police Department said officers arrived at the home of 60-year-old Becky Ann Vreeland on Tuesday afternoon.

The police department noted that upon arrival, officers were told that there was a dead child at the house on Southwest 151st Street.

The cops then found the body of three-year-old Riley Nolan in a trash receptacle outside their home. The police department said the girl had "obvious signs of trauma to her body," People reported.

Police told KFOR that officers went to Vreeland's home after receiving a 911 call from inside the house, and two other children were present at the time. MSgt. Gary Knight also told the outlet that the girl found dead in the trash bin "had been dead for a period of time at least."

Authorities were investigating what motivated the attack and when Nolan was placed into the trash bin. Vreeland recently took custody of the child. She was arrested at the scene.

Oklahoma Grandmother Charged With Murder

Online records showed that Becky Ann Vreeland, who has been charged with first-degree murder and child neglect, is being held without bond.

The Oklahoma grandmother has yet to enter a plea. According to court documents, Vreeland told police she woke up Saturday morning, and Nolan was not in her bed.

The grandmother then claimed that she went to the backyard and found her granddaughter dead in a trash can, KOCO News reported.

Court documents noted that Vreeland did not call 911 or tell anyone about Nolan's death until Monday. Nolan's grandfather found out about the incident and called 911 on Tuesday afternoon.

Police also interviewed the three-year-old girl's siblings. They said they saw Nolan in bed on Saturday morning with a purple eye and a bruised head. Nolan's siblings said she would not wake up.

The court documents revealed that the Oklahoma grandmother used a "whopping stick" made from a wooden bed leg on her grandchildren.

Police also reported finding blood stains in a utility room and in Vreeland's bathroom. The Medical Examiner noted that the girl had three separate skull fractures.

Girl's Murder Shocked the Oklahoma Grandmother's Neighborhood

Jack Cribbs, a neighbor, told KFOR that it was shocking that something like this happened, and it was just 200 yards away from his home. Cribbs noted that he never met the Oklahoma grandmother and only saw the children once or twice outside.

"I didn't really know the people. [But] I hate to see anything like that happen to any child, or even anybody," he added.

Another neighbor, Marsha Brannum, told the outlet that she wished she had done more to prevent the situation.

"I could have been some more assistance for her if she was having trouble... She seemed like a very hardworking grandmother, and I could hear her play with the children in the backyard. I wish I had paid more attention," Brannum said.

A man was renting a room in the house of Vreeland. He was mentioned in the court documents but was not named. He was also questioned by police but was not charged.

Becky Ann Vreeland was reportedly booked into the Cleveland County jail after she was arrested and interviewed by the police officers.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Police Arrest Grandmother After 3-Year-Old Girl Found Dead at Oklahoma City Home - From KOCO 5 News