Maliyah Bass' mom pleads guilty in connection to 2-year-old girl's death

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- More than a year since the death of 2-year-old Maliyah Bass, court documents show her mother pleaded guilty for her involvement in the case.

On Wednesday, Sahara Ervin pleaded guilty to the charges of tampering with evidence - a human corpse and injury to a child, according to court records.

Her boyfriend, Trevion Thompson, is also charged in connection with Maliyah's death.

On Aug. 22, 2020, an Amber Alert was issued for the toddler who had not been seen since that morning. At the time of Maliyah's disappearance, Ervin and Thompson told police they left her at the playground outside their southwest Houston apartment while they were inside cooking breakfast. When they returned, the two told police that Maliyah was gone.

On Aug. 23, the 2-year-old's body was spotted in Brays Bayou by a jogger.

A medical examiner ruled Maliyah's death a homicide and said she died from "homicidal violence." Court records indicate an autopsy found that her forearm was broken and she had superficial blunt force trauma appearing as a looped-pattern of bruises all over her body. It is believed the child was beaten with an extension cord or hanger.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article erroneously reported that Ervin had been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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