Mother with 'terrible temper' arrested in connection to baby's death 19 years ago: ‘She was probably very surprised’

Authorities have arrested a mother accused of killing her baby decades after the death was ruled a homicide.

On Sept. 23, jail records show, Mary Liza Mansker, 37, was taken into custody in Yuba County, California, in connection to her daughter dying in Okaloosa County, Florida, in 2002.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, investigators recently reviewed the case and believed there was a mistake in the autopsy report. They requested the District One Medical Examiner’s Office for a review of the baby’s autopsy results.

In April, the Medical Examiner amended the autopsy report and, according to officials, confirmed “the child’s death to be homicide with the cause listed as ‘subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhages consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.’”

“In 2003 Liza told them it was possible she could have done something to her daughter and not realized it because she said she blacked out and did not recall the incident,” the sheriff’s office said, noting, “Multiple people told investigators Liza had a terrible temper, but did not have a history of blackouts.”

“Based on the evidence we had and new interviews, we were able to submit an arrest warrant for felony murder on the mother,” Okaloosa County investigator Captain David Allen said. “I mean this happened in 2002, almost 20 years ago. She was probably very surprised when we showed up to pick her up for the death of her daughter."

Mansker was being held in Yuba County, California, and will be extradited to Okaloosa County, Florida, according to deputies.