Arrest made in 2020 murder of mother, baby girl in Howard County
HOWARD COUNTY, Md. () — Nearly five years after the death of a mother and her baby, the Howard County Police Department (HCPD) announced that a man is now facing murder charges.
On April 9, Edward Robinson, 31, of Columbia, was arrested in Gaithersburg and charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree murder and related assault and handgun violations.
On July 31, 2020, police responded to the 6600 block of Dovecote Drive after a report came in for several gunshots in the area. Once on the scene, they discovered that multiple bullets had sprayed a house from outside, and found 30-year-old Rabiah Ahmad, who had been hit.
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Ahmad was 28 weeks pregnant and medics took her to the hospital, where she died. Doctors delivered her baby girl, Ahja, but she also died five days later.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Ahmad had recently moved to Maryland and stayed at the house on Dovecote Drive for a few months. Police noted that multiple people also lived in the home during the time of the shooting and believed that Ahmad was not the intended target.
The investigation into Ahmad and her baby's murder stayed open for four years before it was turned over to the cold case unit in September of 2024.
After receiving a tip, detectives learned that Robinson had a fight with two people who lived at the house. Police believe the fight escalated, leading him to allegedly open fire on the house, as a 'suspected warning to other residents.'
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On April 9, authorities executed a search warrant at Robinson's home in Columbia and discovered a caliber that matched the projectiles from the crime scene.
He was taken into custody and is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.
Howard County Police Chief Gregory said detectives never rest until they get justice for a grieving family, and on April 9, they were able to give Ahmad's family some sense of closure.
'Nearly five years have passed since Rabiah and baby Ahja's senseless deaths, and I know it must have felt much longer for their family. Rabiah had an incredibly bright future, and her and Ahja's lives were taken so callously. I want to commend our detectives for their tireless work and those who came forward to provide the information necessary to move this case forward,' said Der.
'On July 31, 2020, Rabiah Ahmad and her unborn daughter Ahja were taken from this world far too soon in an act of unimaginable violence. Their case remained cold for five years, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Howard County Police Department in identifying and arresting their shooter. We hope that Rabiah and Ahja's family can attain some closure after all this time,' added Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.
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