Mother arrested for second-degree murder of her 20-month-old child

MOORHEAD, MINN. — The Moorhead Police Department says the mother of a 20-month-old child that died nearly two weeks ago has been arrested for second degree murder.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the child as 20-month-old Jose Lazarus Zamora, of Moorhead, and that their preliminary autopsy ruled the child’s death as a homicide.

The child’s mother, 32-year-old Valerie Connie Zamora of Moorhead, was arrested in Fargo and taken to the Cass County Jail. She will be held there before being extradited to Moorhead.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and there is no other information to release at this time.