Danatta Moreland, 3, died Wednesday after spending the night at the house. About 8:45 a.m., she was found not breathing, and was taken to Grandview Hospital and Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.
Officials still haven't determined how two of Danatta's relatives, DaJainae Phillips, 1, and Alexis Marshall, 2, died. The girls died within three days of each other last month. Police said they ruled out foul play in the first two deaths. Both girls were also discovered not breathing, prompting officials to wonder if something in the house could be causing respiratory problems.
But health inspectors found nothing out of the ordinary, and the third death again raised suspicions, said Ken Betz, director of the coroner's office.
"They were all found in the same residence," Betz said. "Three children don't die like this. Three children in one house is highly unusual - highly suspicious."
Dayton homicide Sgt. Gary White would not comment on the investigation. Detectives were interviewing Danatta's relatives Wednesday afternoon.
Montgomery County Children Services removed four other children from the home Wednesday and were placing them in foster homes, a spokeswoman said.
Autopsy results are still pending for the other two children. DaJainae, who lived at the residence, died Nov. 10 at Children's Medical Center. Her cousin, Alexis, 2, of 1333 Wisconsin Blvd., died Nov. 13 at Grandview Hospital and Medical Center.
Investigators were not sure how Danatta, who lived at 5036 Northcrest Drive with her parents, was related to the other two children.
The house is owned by Phillip A. and Regina L. Moreland, according to real estate records. The Morelands declined to comment Wednesday.
But last month, Phillip Moreland said he was Alexis' great uncle. DaJainae was his granddaughter, he said.
DaJainae was found by her mother, Jamila Moreland, who had gone upstairs to check on the sleeping girl and found that she was not breathing, Phillip Moreland said.
The girl had a history of medical problems and had been hospitalized repeatedly in the months before her death for encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, he said.
Alexis had been asleep upstairs when her parents put her coat on her and got ready to leave. After they left the house, they discovered the girl wasn't breathing, he said.
CREDIT: JIM WITMER/DAYTON DAILY NEWS
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