Tata fled to Nigeria two days after her daycare center caught fire on Feb. 24, killing four children and severely injuring three others. The 22-year-old was charged with manslaughter, reckless injury to a child and child abandonment amid accusations that she went off to Target to do some shopping and left the small children, ranging from 15 months to 3 years, alone and unattended.
Tata allegedly lied to investigators, telling them she was in the bathroom of the daycare when the fire started. A nearby Target store has the video of Tata entering and departing the retailer during the time in question surrounding the blaze.
Fire department officials concluded that the home daycare blaze was caused by a stove top burner that had been left on.
Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee made the Tata case a high priority and met with State Department officials to ask them to request that the Nigerian government put more resources into arresting one of America's most wanted. The Congresswoman also contacted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder regarding Tata's capture.
After meeting with the State Department officials, Congresswoman Lee issued the following statement:
"We understand that the United States has a valid Extradition Treaty with Nigeria since 1931. I therefore urgently request that the State Department and the Department of Justice officially send additional U.S. law enforcement officers to Nigeria, and that they engage the Nigerian government and urgently ask for their immediate and intensified efforts to find, detain and arrest this alleged perpetrator who has left 4 dead babies in Harris County and some 3 other babies fighting for their lives while their parents and loved ones suffer in a state of excruciating anguish. I am certain that both departments are engaged in diligent efforts to work with the international community to locate Ms. Tata."
Congresswoman Lee's steadfast efforts finally paid off.
Tata reportedly departed Lagos, Nigeria, on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. CDT and is expected to be in Houston 24 hours later on Monday. The U.S. Marshals Service was put on the case and led the search for Tata, placing her on a list of the 15 most-wanted fugitives and offered a reward of up to $25,000.
"I am glad she decided to make the right decision, which is to return to this country of which she is a citizen in order to face the charges against her," Congresswoman Lee told the Associated Press.
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