LANCASTER - Prosecutors filed murder and other charges today against a woman suspected in the death of her 18-month-old daughter, whom she initially claimed was taken from her in a violent kidnapping.

Stacey Marie Barker, 24, was also charged with assault on a child causing death and child abuse. She is scheduled to be arraigned May 11 at the Lancaster courthouse, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Authorities allege Barker initially lied to investigators about the circumstances of her toddler's death. She told sheriff's deputies that someone knocked her out as she was putting her daughter into a car seat in Lancaster on the evening of March 19 and that she awoke hours later in Palmdale.

Barker allegedly inflicted wounds to her head, partially undressed and faked semi-consciousness in an attempt to mislead deputies.

Under questioning, Barker later told deputies that her daughter, Emma Leigh, died in an unspecified accident and said she panicked and dumped the body, according to the sheriff's department.

Investigators recovered the toddler's body in a yard in the 13000 block of El Dorado Avenue in Sylmar.

Barker was arrested Thursday and was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.