Nashville girl arrested by US Marshals for meth-related dying of child niece; man additionally in custody

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Nashville couple is in custody, facing murder charges for the death of their baby niece last year.

Christy Shadowens, 48, and Ronald Spencer, 40, have been indicted for first-degree murder after Alayna Shadowens died of acute methamphetamine intoxication while in their care in Jan. 2021.

The nearly 1-year-old child was found unresponsive and not breathing by the couple inside their home.

Couple indicted following meth-related death of baby niece

Alayna was transported from the couple’s Bonnalynn Drive home to the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Following a toxicology report, the medical examiner found Alayna died of acute methamphetamine toxicity.

An investigation by police determined Spencer and Shadowens were the sole caregivers for Alayna at the time of her death and are responsible for the narcotics in the home.

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Spencer was arrested earlier this month on unrelated drug charges, but Shadowens was still at large. That is until members of the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force arrested her in Greenbrier Tuesday afternoon.

They are each being held on $100,000 bond.