The Death of Paris Talley — I am Ivana Estelle

Mar 21

Mar 21 The Death of Paris Talley

Introduction about trigger warning:

This case is gruesome. There is no doubt about that. No matter how I tell the story, we all are going to come to the same conclusion. China Arnold is a monster. She did the most evil unthinkable thing you can possibly imagine too her own child. However the more I read about this case there were some things that stood out, that must be addressed. China is not the only evil person in this story. And there are other factors to this case that are overlooked due to the shock value and nature of this case. In fact in my opinion, two people should have been arrested.

This is the murder of Paris Talley.

Before we get to Paris, we need to discuss her mother, China. See Paris was only 28 days old, in a lot of the sources I find, they say that she's a month old, but the sick reality is she wasn't even that. Her mother China Arnold at the time was 25 years old. She was young, and originally from Dayton OH. I've spent a lot of time in Columbus, as of recently for my job, and I'm talking outside of being a writer. What I know about Ohio is that it is the Midwest. Food is usually cheaper there. People are polite, but the area can be segregated. We also don't always take into consideration just how big Ohio is. Dayton OH, is actually where I think my boss is from, or he has family there. This has nothing to do with the case, but I feel like I need to start light before we get to the darkness.

China was born on March 29th 1980 and on all accounts lived her entire life in the Dayton OH area. She had a decent relationship with her family. She had a sister who she spoke with seemingly regularly. In the early 2000s, like 2000 to 2002 China began to have runins with crime. Now at this time she couldn't have been more than 20 or 21. She was young, and it isn't really clear where the influence came from to commit the crimes that she did. She was convicted of forgery and of abduction and at the time was put on probation for five years in each case.

Even before that life hadn't been easy. China had kids young, when she was around 16 she had her oldest son, then a couple years later she had her second son and then her third son when she was 21, around the same time that she had been convicted.

However it seems like while being on probation, China had actually began to kind of get her life together. She was focusing on being a mom to her kids, and eventually she even got into a relationship. Isn't clear who the father of her other sons were, however we do know that China eventually meets Terrell Talley.

You may not be surprised to know that there are a million Terrell Talleys. I could not find this man anywhere. Which honestly, if I were connected to a case like this I probably would change my name or do whatever I could to stay under the radar. He even ends up taking the witness stand, and still no photos. Nothing. So we are going to work with what we have.

It isn’t clear when Terrell and China’s relationship started, but the couple had been together for at least a year. They seemed to be in love on all accounts and were living together will Terrell’s son and China’s 3 children. The blended family worked well together. Terrell wasn’t the most morale guy on the block, he made money drug dealing to help support his family, and the couple often drank together. The couple was living in the Parkside housing complex in Ohio and Terrell sold drugs usually at a separate apartment. Despite the unsecure arrangement and already sharing 4 kids between the two of them, around November of 2004 China was elated to find out the two had conceived. Her family was supportive as well, her sister explaining that she was devasted she hadn’t had a chance to meet the baby. Baby Paris was born August 2nd 2005. She was small and sweet and the couple seemed happy at first. However the two began to argue due to infidelity. Both believed the other was cheating. And on August 30th things came to a dangerous head.

Cue music

August 29th 2005 started out like any other day. It was a Monday and around 80 degrees, hot with dry mid western air. School had started a couple weeks back for China and Terrell’s older kids, and the couple were getting back into the routine. Despite the subtle tension in the home about cheating. The day seemed to be going decently. That night however the two begn to argue. Terrell had concerns regarding his daughter Paris. He believed that there was a chance that the 28 day old baby was not his. The two began to argue aggressively in the house, and realizing that they were not getting anywhere with the kids running around the home Terrell decided that the two should leave to discuss elsewhere. Terrell called his sister to come to the home to take care of the 4 older children and baby Paris. China and Terrell left and went straight to a local liquor store where they picked up a bottle Bacardi 151, and went to a park. Their argument was loud and volitle. Terrell accused China of lying, saying that Paris was not his. The argument eventually subdued with their need to go home, and so the two walked back to the car drunkenly and drove to the house. Once returning the apartment was, full to say the least. Kids running and chatting, an overwhelmed sister holding a baby. Terrell measured the room with his eyes and decided that he should leave for a while, he could get time to collect his thoughts, and considered making a few extra dollars to pass the time. He went to “the spot” which doesn’t have an exactly location disclosed, but it was a place to hang out with a couple buddies and sell drugs including crack cocaine and marihuana. China, though intoxicated wasn’t necessarily doing any of those drugs as well.

On August 30th, Terrell returned to the apartment. The once busy home was silent with the buzz of the lights in the kitchen, everyone slept and as he went to bed he saw China and baby Paris asleep on the couch. Terrell laid on the adjacent couch, and then curled up next to China, cradling her, and drifting to sleep with thoughts of making amends in the morning.

China woke up to get the kids ready for school. The morning kisses, and rising voices “its time for school” “get up guys” “go wash your face and brush your teeth” the pattering of feet, woke Terrell up shortly after. He sat up and looked at the couch at his daughter who had managed to sleep softly through the night. When he went to wake her up he noticed something on the baby’s cheek

A red burn mark. But she was cold, Terrell felt her back, she was cold as ice.

He knelt down and pressed his ear against her small mouth.

Paris wasn’t breathing.

I want to note a major trigger warning for the next couple of minutes. What I am about to disclose is unimaginable and if you cannot sit through violence against children please fast forward as best you can.

China and Terrell, wrapped baby Paris in a blanket and raced to the Children’s Medical Center, at around 7:15am. The baby had a temperature of 95 degrees, and had no pulse, respiration, or blood pressure when she arrived at the hospital. After trying to resuscitate Paris for about 15 minutes, hospital personnel pronounced her dead. Hospital personnel were mystified and puzzled by the baby's injuries. The baby had burns, but they were not like the scalding or liquid burns normally seen. During the attempts to revive Paris, the parents were in the room. Terrell began to break down and cry, China began to shout that her baby was not burned despite the skin peeling off. The hospital personnel were confused, Paris was dressed in a clean night gown but based on her injuries the garment should have contained seepage and skin, it was as if, Paris had been burned and then changed.

Doctors sat the couple down and began to try to piece together what happened. China was asked what happened that night. When they noticed the burns. she said that she had arrived home at 2:00 a.m., and had tried to feed Paris, but Paris would not drink. Paris felt warm to the touch, so China placed her in a bassinet and put a fan on her. When China got up in the morning, Paris was not acting right, so she brought the baby to the hospital after getting her other children ready for school, placing them on the bus, and calling Terrell. Of course this story doesn’t completely line up, as Terrell was the one to first notice Paris.

China and Terrell went to the police station for further questioning. Where China’s story changed again. Contrary to her earlier statement, China said during her police interview that she had arrived home at 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. the prior evening, and had been sleeping in the living room with Paris on her chest. When Paris's crying woke her at around 2:30 a.m., she heated a bottle in the microwave oven and fed Paris. After changing the baby's diaper, she laid down on the couch, put the baby back on her chest, and went to sleep. Arnold stated that when she woke up in the morning, Terrell was on the couch with her, and she did not know where Paris was, but thought Terrell had put Paris in the bassinet, which was upstairs.

Terrell had a different version. He claimed to have come home around 3 or 4 in the morning. He told police he curled up on the smaller couch and after a while got up and moved to like larger couch to sleep with China. When he woke up the next morning he saw baby Paris face down on the couch in the corner.

Police were puzzled, it seemed like the couple was telling two very different stories. In one version China is your typical mom, tending to her baby making sure she’s safe, and in the other it kind of seems like both parents didn’t give a damn about the baby, and had her asleep in the corner of the couch. which is insane considering she’s only a month old.

Police decided to get a warrant and search China and Terrell’s apartment. Police knew that Paris had been burned but they didn't know the cause of the burns. They were hoping that the search would allow them to gain some answers and perspective on what really happened. These burns were specific to say the least. The coroner saying that they were from a thermal injury, he could tell because of how deep they were. They were clearly defined, and were pretty severe. In fact, Paris’s fullback had actually been spared. Due too the significance and the location of the burns police were searching for something that had to do with thermal heat in the apartment, Detective DB (note you aren’t clear on his full name preference) went back to the scene and searched. He looked for a cookie tin, or a heating pad. Something that could have caused the burns that wasn't, hot water or literal fire. The police paced the living room, eyeing the couches, toys on the floor, and detective DB entered the kitchen. It was small, there were typical snacks in the fridge, the dining table had plates and leftover homework. It looked like a place that any busy family of seven would have it. That is when the detectives eyes peered over to the microwave oven on the counter, it looked … normal, the police did find a tub upstairs with cloudy water and what looked like sediment. This material was taken from the house, outside of that the search of the house was essentially clear. The police began to talk to people in the neighborhood they learned that Terrell’s sister Leonda watched the children overnight, and before Paris died. Leonda confirmed what China had already said that she and Terell had gone out for a couple hours starting around 7:00 PM they'd been fighting all night and needed a place to talk, And that China eventually allowed Leonda to go home when she got back around 10:00 o'clock. China said that she felt her daughter was a little warm, so she laid her down. China basically was giving an exact replica of the story that she told in the hospital. The next day during China's third interview police had done some research. They found that China had actually been seen outside on her porch at 4:00 AM, which consequently is around the same time that Terrell had gotten home. They knew that the two had been arguing earlier, so there is a pretty good chance that they were arguing again once he was back.

And when it came to that murky water in the bathtub upstairs, well China had an answer for that. The detective thought there was residue like flaky skin in the bath tub. China claimed she had given her daughter a bath around 12 noon and just never dumped the tub out. Then police inquired about what the argument was about between China and Terrell. At first China said just her driving, but later as time went on she disclosed the truth. Terell was not sure about Paris paternity. He questioned if he was the father. And soon more truth came out China admitted that she was out at 4:00 AM on the porch. And she was waiting for Terell to come home. Which she explained was because Terell had taken Paris with him earlier, which we know does not make sense with her original story. But China explained that the reason she hadn't said anything before is because she loved Terell and was protecting him and so police began to wonder is Terrell the reason why Paris is dead. Had he gotten so angry about maybe not being the father, that he murdered this baby? however we know that Terell had an alibi, a sketchy one, but one nonetheless. He'd been out at a local place selling drugs, it would be impossible for him to have taken the baby been out had no witnesses seeing him and then returned with the baby. Terell consequently was allowed to leave the police station that day and China was arrested for child endangering because she was apparently the only one home at the time that Paris was injured.

Other than the fact that this was due to an elevated temperature that caused thermal injuries they didn't really have much to go on and China was let go. After leaving jail quite a few months went by. It isn't clear whether to Terrell and China were living together, but everyone tried to at least get back to a new depressing normal of Paris being gone.

However everything changed in early 2006. The coroner became aware that there was a possibility that a microwave was involved. An experiment that had been done on pigs the same size of a small baby was tested, which is horrible but I digress, the coroner was also alerted to a case in Virginia in which an infant had been found inside of a microwave. And upon investigation the coroner realized that the burns of that baby, and the pig, were very similar to Paris’s.

Nine months later on May 18th 2006 the police would return to 415 hall Ave where China and her family had been living at the time. They'd stayed in the apartment, for a little while after, but eventually abandoned it. However the microwave was still there. After testing the microwave medical examiner from Miami Valley crime lab found a partial DNA profile from the ceiling of the microwave oven that matched baby Paris. The coroner also tested the microwave oven and concluded that a baby the size of Paris could fit inside. Also the burn pattern on Paris was consistent with the heating element of the oven which was located in the Dome or roof of the oven. The coroner was able to conclude that Parris died no earlier than 1:00 AM and not significantly later than 3:00 AM on August 30th 2005. She was placed in a microwave and essentially, cooked. So let's just go over the timeline, China gets home around 10:00 o'clock, Terrel’s consequently with her, he stays in the house for a bit and then goes back out himself. And he gets home at around 4:00 AM. When he's home China also goes outside around that time too. It's not clear whether the two ran into each other or if she was just outside waiting. At some point between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM Paris died. It kind of seems like whatever decision was made to put Paris in this microwave, was made When Terell was not home, maybe even around the time he left to go out again, and before he returned.

After this discovery and conclusion, there were a few more months that went by in fact it wasn't until the fall November 27th 2006 that China was arrested for aggravated murder of Paris. She then was indicted in December of 2006 for aggravated murder with this specification that she had purposely caused a death of Paris and was the principal offender in the Commission of the incident. A jury trial was conducted during January and February 2008. And this is where things get sticky, See the trial was actually granted a mistrial based on surprise discovery of alleged exculpatory evidence. And the nearly discovered evidence was based on allegations that it actually been DT China's nephew that had placed the baby in the oven and had turned it on. See shortly after China's first trial began Terrell stated that his son had told him that he had actually pulled the baby's lifeless body out of the microwave after a neighbors boy had put her in there. That neighbor ended up being China's nephew.

A new investigation had to be done, and this is also to note Terrell’s son was five years old at the time of the murder. Of course we know there are situations where a child witness testimony is imperative but there's also a chance that this 5 year old could have been misled or coached, or even just trying to cope with the loss of his baby sister. And the timeline is doesn't really make sense, like when would this neighborhood boy have come into the house and if this was between 1 and 3:00 AM then wouldn't China have checked on the baby, since she ended up being on the couch. Especially because China had eyewitness testimony as being up at 4:00 AM.

After re investigation a new trial was set, but during this time despite there being a mistrial, China wasn't free. She was still incarcerated.

The case was retried in August of 2008 and the defense presented testimony of the 8 year old boy who stated that he saw the baby being put and taken out of the microwave. But mind you he's eight at this point retelling a story that he witnessed at the age 5. However it did not match with the timeline, and the prosecution had a witness of their own. See while China had been incarcerated she ended up meeting Linda Williams. In fact they were cell mates, and had grown quite close, a borderline romantic relationship. At one point China had allegedly confided in Linda about what exactly happened that night in 2005. Linda sat on the stand stone faced and recalled that China and Terrell had gotten into an argument. They were fighting about the baby's paternity, and China was terrified that Terrell was going to leave her if the baby was not his. Linda claimed, China told her she put the baby in the microwave and started it and then left the house, she figured th at Terell would forgive her and that if the baby was gone they could start fresh. She said “the baby fit right in” when referring to the microwave.

to note the microwave was about 107 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, and Paris was inside of the microwave for about 2 minutes. China admitted to police during one of her interviews that the baby woke up around 2:30 in the morning, crying. However everyone else in the house was asleep and there were no signs of a break in. At the end of the second trial China Arnold was convicted of aggravated murder the jury couldn't decide on the death penalty or life in prison so the judge sentenced her to life.

During all this time China continued to plead not guilty. She didn't go with insanity, and she still stayed true to the fact that she did not know what happened to her daughter. The second District Court of appeals reversed the conviction in September 2010 after China's defense team protested they had not been allowed to bring in material witnesses. There were also accusations that there was misconduct on the part of the prosecution and in a devastating blow Linda Williams recanted her testimony. I'm not sure if she was promised something or had a change of heart, but they basically had to start from scratch in May of 2011.

Now at one point, Terrell Talley did take the stand. And his account is pretty powerful. He explains that he did not want to see pictures of Paris, it was just too hard. Also during this time the paternity was taken of Paris and Terell was the father. Terrell on the stand said that he and China had gone out and basically finished a bottle of Bacardi 151 between the two of them. On their drive home while arguing China was driving erratically when they got back home they actually got into a physical altercation in the parking lot during which Terrell had his lip bitten by China and he slapped her across the face. There are witnesses to see this and saw that China was very intoxicated and barely able to walk and talk. Terrell’s sister Leonda took her children home and put them to bed in the meantime Terrell went to the apartment of a neighbor named Jason's C’s house. He was going to buy beer do his thing, blow off some steam. Leonda actually at one point returned, and took China to get cigarettes, because China was way too drunk to drive. On the way back China asked Leonda to stop the car because she thought she was going to vomit they returned about 40 minutes after they left, and China went into her house, which also means that the kids were unaccompanied for some time, before that was 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM window. Leonda checked in on Paris and China at approximately 11:45 PM at Terrell’s request and according to Leonda, China was asleep on the couch and the baby was in the car seat next to another couch. Paris was sleeping and she didn't have any injuries and nothing was wrong with Paris at the time which was around midnight. After checking on Paris, Leonda locked the house and took the house key to Terrell. Remember when I said that China claimed that she woke up around 2:30 AM, well the state presented evidence that the time of death was between 1:00 and 3:15 AM and China was seen outside the porch at around 4:00 AM. So it isn't too far off to maybe close that window a little shorter and say that the death could have happened anywhere between 2:30 and 3:15, with China staying awake and going outside at around 4:00 AM to wait and see when Tyrell was coming home. The defense tried to challenge the timelines presented and also challenged the testimony regarding if apartment was locked with no one having access. Which also is kind of a stretch, because that would mean that they were alleging that either someone that China knew did this, or a stranger came into the house and put baby Paris in the microwave then took her out. The defense also tried to say that Terrell could have done it. He could have been in a jealous and violent rage and wanting to hurt China, killed Paris. However he had an alibi, he wasn't home to do it.Look, I think Terrell was a complete jerk. I think Paris wasn’t even in the best place or a healthy family home. However Terrell is guilty of other actions, but putting Paris in that microwave, isn’t one of them.

At the end of trial China Arnold was convicted of aggravated murder. And for two years she stayed in prison. By this time she was in prison for about four years, she was 30 years old and still fighting for her innocent. Some of her family were supporting her including her mother Gloria Scott who said that she believe that her daughter was innocent and didn't do this heinous crime.

In November of 2010 the second district appeals reversed the conviction of China Arnold for the death of her daughter. They reverse was based on prosecution and misconduct in her trial.

That's right we're going into trial for a third time for a woman who apparently microwaved her one month old baby. The Montgomery County prosecutors were astonished at the Court of Appeals burst the defendants conviction. However the defense team wanted to actually present their witnesses, in regards to the allegation that China's nephew had actually killed baby Paris, as well as prove the chance that it could have been Terrell He was just just as much of motivated to do something as horrific as China was.

This trial was pretty short. The court allowed the defense in state to proffer testimony and exhibits regarding the alleged third party guilt of China's nephew, and the jury heard evidence pertaining the potential of Terrell being the murderer After hearing the evidence the jury deliberated for several hours and still unanimously convicted China for aggravated murder and specification recommended that China serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

now let's talk about the reason. I think we all can agree that this was a disgusting and heinous act. This is something that's done by people that are deranged or serial killers. So what could cause China to do these horrible things to her precious baby girl? Prior to sentencing a mental exam was conducted period two psychologists determined that China Arnold had an average IQ and no significant mental illness. Doctor Jeffrey Smalldon said China Arnold suffered from low grade chronic depressive condition as well as alcohol and drug abuse. He said he found nothing that would have justified the death of this child in arguing over the death sentence assistant Montgomery County prosecutor Dan Brandon told Jerry members quite rightly that there were no factors that mitigate the purpose of this murder.

All that can be really pointed to, is the fact that China had been upset she'd gotten into an argument with her boyfriend, and had been very intoxicated.

There also was the decisions that were made after the fact. China had placed the baby in that tub of water, there's a very big likelihood that she did this to clean the baby up and hide what she had done. but also, she was intoxicated, maybe she really didn't know what she was doing. I also took it to consideration postpartum depression, however from the research I've found, as well as the mothers that I know. They would never ever consider hurting their child, most times postpartum depression is more so how you feel about yourself.

So really there isn't a clear answer as to why China did this. It could have been that she wanted to get rid of her child to keep Terrell, it could have been a split second decision, it could have been that she was intoxicated and really did not know what she was doing. However she fought for her innocence for so long, there may be even people that believe that there was a chance that she didn’t do this.

When China’s family took the stand, though they love their daughter, and sister, they were open about being devastated at the loss of baby Paris. But there are some concrete things we know that remain the same. Paris was burned on her torso, limbs and face. China lied, about times that she'd been in and out of the house, she lied about where her children were at multiple times, even going as far as saying that she'd locked her kids upstairs, and the baby was with Terrell. And now she says that she has faith in the system that she will continue to fight for her innocence. But with life imprisonment this looks like it'll be a very long uphill battle. She's still incarcerated, in Dayton OH where she will likely spend the rest of her life.

And finally we remember Paris. This baby was not even a month old, she was 28 days old. Usually when I covered these types of cases I have a whole background I like to really tell you who the victim is, but parents did not have a chance. No matter what Terrell’s behavior, China's behavior. Paris did not deserve what happened to her, what she experienced is unimaginable and this heinous act is inexcusable. We pray for China's other three children and tourelle son who have to grow up without their mother and scarred from a terrifying act that occurred in childhood.

it is a reminder that a snap decision, can change the trajectory of your life. It's also an even bigger reminder that some monsters, they live inside your home.