A New Jersey couple now faces murder charges after prosecutors say they beat the woman’s 9-year-old daughter to death, then lied about a hit-and-run to cover it up.
Story Snapshot
- Maya Thomas, 9, died October 13, 2026, and her death was ruled a homicide.
- India Miller and Sean Scott face murder, child endangerment, and cover-up charges.
- An autopsy reportedly found bruising over Maya’s whole body, broken ribs, and a ruptured colon.
- New Jersey’s child protection agency is now probing claims of sexual abuse tied to her death.
- Family members say warning signs of abuse were reported weeks before Maya died.
Parents’ Car-Crash Story Falls Apart
India Miller and Sean Scott called 911 around 1:10 a.m. on October 13, 2026. They said Maya Thomas, Miller’s 9-year-old daughter, was hit by a car while walking the family dog in Paulsboro. Investigators searched for proof of a crash but found none. Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew Johns ruled Maya’s death a homicide, not an accident.
Autopsy Reveals Horrific Injuries
The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office said the autopsy told a far darker story than a car accident. Investigators found bruising over Maya’s entire body, broken ribs, and a ruptured colon. The Courier Post reported abrasions on her inner thighs and intimate parts. Prosecutors described the wounds as signs of abuse carried out over time, not a single violent event involving a vehicle.
Miller and Scott now face first-degree murder charges, with Scott also charged as an accomplice to murder. Both face two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. They are additionally charged with filing a false police report and hindering prosecution, charges that point directly to claims they invented a crash story to hide what really happened to Maya.
State Opens Sexual Abuse Investigation
New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency confirmed it is investigating allegations of both physical and sexual abuse connected to Maya’s death. The agency has not released detailed findings. The intimate-area injuries found during the autopsy give investigators a real reason to examine whether sexual abuse happened, though no charge tied specifically to that claim has been filed yet. Miller and Scott have been charged, not convicted, and the case remains in its early stages.
Maya’s great-grandmother told reporters the family raised concerns about suspected abuse weeks before Maya died. Relatives say the girl was kept isolated from the outside world and rarely seen by neighbors or extended family. The reported warnings raise hard questions about whether red flags were missed before a 9-year-old girl ended up dead inside her own home.
🚨 NEW JERSEY MOTHER AND STEPFATHER CHARGED WITH MURDERING 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL, THEN ALLEGEDLY INVENTING A HIT-AND-RUN TO COVER IT UP.
This poor little girl. 💔
What prosecutors say happened inside a Paulsboro, New Jersey, home is absolutely horrifying.
India Miller, 27, and Sean… pic.twitter.com/GzKRohHRRs
— AmyButtermaker (@Amy_Buttermaker) October 15, 2026
Case Reignites Fight Over Homeschooling Oversight
Two South Jersey lawmakers say Maya’s death exposes gaps in how New Jersey tracks children taught at home. The state has some of the least restrictive homeschooling laws in the country, with no requirement that officials ever lay e
