Former Oklahoma daycare operator to stand trial in child’s death

Melissa Clark

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – A former in-home daycare operator in Noble has been ordered to stand trial for first-degree murder in the death of a 4-month-old girl.
A Cleveland County judge on Monday found there is enough evidence to order 46-year-old Melissa Clark of Noble to trial for the July 2016 death of Braelyn Zachary.
Clark did not comment.
The Oklahoma medical examiner’s office found the child died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Investigators say Clark offered several explanations of how the child was injured, including that she tripped while holding the girl, that she dropped the girl and that she threw her into a bouncy seat while frustrated.