A woman is accused of killing her mother inside the family's Maryland home and trying to hide the remains with the help of her 19-year-old daughter, police said.
The woman, Candace Craig, 44, was charged with first- and second-degree murder, while her daughter, Salia Hardy, was charged with being an accessory after the fact, Prince George’s County police said a news release Saturday.
Police believe the victim is Margaret Craig, according to a preliminary investigation. Candace Craig is Margaret's daughter, and Hardy is her granddaughter.
Police responded to a home in the 200 block of Hill Road in Landover on Friday afternoon to conduct a welfare check on the 71-year-old woman after a family member said he hadn't heard from her in several days.
Craig answered the door and allowed officers into the home to search for her mother. An odor of decomposition in the basement prompted an investigation from the homicide and evidence units, police said.
Based on preliminary evidence, police believe Craig killed her mother on May 23 and that her daughter, Hardy, tried to help dispose of the body the next day.
A motive is under investigation.
“The detectives of the Homicide Unit will ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that both suspects are held accountable for their cruel and criminal behavior,” said Maj. David Blazer, the commander of the major crimes division.
Craig and Hardy are in the custody of the Corrections Department. It's not clear whether they have lawyers.
The chief medical examiner's office will confirm the victim's identity and investigate the cause of death.
Prince George’s County police ask anyone with information relevant to the investigation to come forward.
