Mother Arrested at Funeral in Child’s Death

A mother who was attending a funeral for her 3-year-old daughter was led away by sheriff’s officers and held in connection with the girl’s death.

Aretha Sconiers, 26, who has served time for a drug conviction and had eluded police for a week, was jailed Saturday on suspicion of homicide by abuse. Zy-Nyia Nobles died May 27 of blunt-force blows.

Detectives attended the funeral on the chance that Sconiers might come, police said. She stood beside her daughter’s pink coffin, weeping “I’m sorry,” and relatives started shouting and cursing her.

The child spent much of her life in foster homes and was returned to her mother about four months ago.