Mom charged with murder, admits kicking 2-year-old daughter

Authorities announced Kayla Marie Moore's arrest and murder charges Wednesday in the death of her daughter Athena Wolfe.

FALLS, Pa. -- A 23-year-old woman charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter admitted to police she kicked the toddler numerous times in the head and body just before calling an ambulance, records show.

Kayla Marie Moore

Bucks County District Attorney David W. Heckler announced Kayla Marie Moore's arrest and murder charges Wednesday in the death of her daughter Athena Wolfe.

Athena died Monday morning at a Philadelphia hospital from injuries she suffered the day before in her Sweetbriar Road apartment, police said.

Falls police wrote in an affidavit they went to Moore's residence at about 1:15 p.m. Sunday to investigate a medical call for the girl, who Moore reported being in cardiac arrest.

The girl was taken to a local hospital, where medical personnel found the girl with bruises and malnourished. She was later flown to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she died the next morning.

Falls police detectives were notified by CHOP child abuse team that from all the tests, records and photographs they examined, Athena was a "terribly battered and injured" child.

On Tuesday an autopsy show the 2-year-old died of blunt force trauma and her death was classified a homicide, police said.

That night, Falls Detective Catherine Coffman and Bucks County Detective Frank Groome interviewed Moore. The detectives wrote that she admitted to kicking her daughter several times just before calling the ambulance.

More is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.