SALAMANCA, N.Y. — Nearly a month after a Salamanca 1-year-old girl was fatally injured, her mother has been arrested for manslaughter.
Following a 26-day, multi-agency investigation, Leslie A. Finch, 24, of 3629 N. Authority Road, Kill Buck, was charged at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday with second-degree manslaughter, a class C felony; first-degree reckless endangerment, a class D felony; and endangering the welfare of child, a class A misdemeanor.
Around noon April 24, Salamanca emergency responders were called to 191 Broad St. for reports of a 1-year-old female not breathing. The child was Mila M. Whipple, born in April 2014.
Mila was transported to Olean General Hospital, then flown via medical helicopter to Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. The hospital staff informed Salamanca police the injuries were likely caused by abuse and, due to their extent, she would not likely survive.
Mila died the morning of April 26.
Finch was arraigned before Judge William Gabler in Salamanca City Court. She was remanded to Cattaraugus County Jail in Belmont and held in lieu of $100,000. Finch is scheduled to appear back in court Friday for a preliminary hearing.
Salamanca Police Chief Troy Westfall said he could not comment on the details of the investigation but said the Mila’s injuries were “severe” and “ultimately caused her death.”
He said this case was a personal one for everyone involved, including Salamanca Officer Ronda Bush, who was lead investigator.
Westfall and Bush were in the ambulance with Mila on the way to Olean General and were hopeful that she would survive.
“We thought she was going to make it at first, but then it was a complete reversal,” he said. “When we found out the extent of what had happened, we started making calls and formed a task force, and it’s all we’ve lived and breathed for the last 26 days.”
Westfall attributed the lengthy investigation to a desire for justice.
“We wanted to be certain. Mila could not speak for herself,” he said. “We built a timeline and went about gathering evidence.”
The police chief does not anticipate any further arrests in relation to the case.
The Salamanca Police Department was assisted in the case by the Salamanca City Fire Department, Cattaraugus County Child Protection Services, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Olean General Hospital staff and Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo staff.
Funeral services for Mila Whipple were held April 30, with burial in Little Valley Rural Cemetery.
A Go Fund Me account was created in her honor to assist the family with burial and medical expenses, according to the page’s description. The page raised $7,820 in 22 days, with a fundraising goal of $10,000.
