An eastern Iowa daycare provider faces a charge of 1st Degree Murder and other charges, associated with the death of an infant in her care. Officials with the LeClaire Police Department say that on February 5th, 2020, at approximately 3:15-p.m., LeClaire officers were dispatched to an in-home daycare on Frontier Court in LeClaire, for an “infant in distress”. Upon arrival, first responders observed a 5-month-old female who appeared to be unresponsive with labored breathing. The baby was immediately transported to a local hospital, where her condition continued to worsen.

She was then airlifted to Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, where doctors discovered that she had a fractured skull as well as a brain bleed. The infant passed away four days later, on Sunday, February 9th, 2020, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Angela Marxen was the homeowner and sole daycare provider for this residence, and according to police, was responsible for the infant’s care at the time of the incident. An autopsy was performed by a forensic pathologist. The autopsy report states that the infant’s official cause of death was from blunt force injuries of the head.

Due to the severity of the injuries, the LeClaire Police Department and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) began a 14-month long criminal investigation. The extensive investigation determined that the injuries that caused the infant’s death were non-accidental.

As a result, a warrant was issued for 55-year-old Angela R. Marxen, of Davenport, for the following charges:

Marxen was arrested on Thursday, April 15th, 2021, and transported to the Scott County Jail, where she is currently being held on no bond. The LeClaire Police Department and Iowa DCI were assisted by the Scott County Attorney’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Medic EMS, and the LeClaire Fire Department.