Renee Bowman, 43, of Lusby, was arrested and jailed for child abuse. Police subsequently discovered human remains in her freezer. Bowman told police the bodies were those of 2 of her 3 adopted children. (Arrest photo)
Police became involved on Friday when they were called to a residence on Pawnee Trail in Lusby in reference to a found child. The child, a 7-year-old female, showed signs of extreme abuse and neglect.
Upon further investigation the officers determined that the child had escaped from her residence on Buckskin Trail in Lusby by jumping out the second story window. The victim had been left unattended in the home and locked in her room, say police.
The victim's adopted mother, Renee Bowman, responded to the Sheriff's office after learning they had picked up her daughter. Police say she confessed to beating the girl with a "hard heeled shoe."
Bowman was arrested and incarcerated without bond Friday at the Calvert County Detention Center on three charges: first degree child abuse; second degree child abuse; and second degree assault.
The Calvert Investigative Team--detectives from the Sheriff's Office and the local Maryland State Police barrack--was called in to execute a search warrant on Bowman's residence seeking evidence of the abuse. Once inside, police say they found human remains inside a drop freezer in the basement of the residence.
Police learned that Bowman had adopted three female children from the District of Columbia in 2004. The whereabouts of two of the children were unknown to police at the time.
While interviewing Bowman, police say she told them the remains located within the freezer were that of her two other adopted daughters. Bowman advised that the remains had been in the freezer since she moved from Rockville, Montgomery County, in February 2008.
At this time investigators say they are unsure whose remains or how many remains are contained in the freezer. Due to the condition of the remains, the Medical Examiners Office requested the entire freezer, along with the contents, be brought to Baltimore intact.
The Calvert Investigative Team is working in conjunction with the Montgomery County Police, who are assigning investigators from their Major Crimes Division, Homicide/Sex Crimes Section, to continue the investigation.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 27 at 1:00 p.m. at the Calvert County District Court in Prince Frederick.
Anyone with information relating to this crime please contact the Maryland State Police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400 or the Calvert County Sheriff's Office at 410-535-2800 x2454. For a possible reward call Crime Solvers at 410-535-2880 (callers may remain anonymous).