Child Abuse Archives - DR News - News, Retirement, Finance

28-year-old California father throws and kicks his 2-month-old son and the baby dies of brain injury

STOCKTON, CA – A Stockton man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison after a jury found him responsible for the death of his two-month-old son, prosecutors announced this week. The case centered around Mathew Garcia, 28, who inflicted months of physical abuse on his baby boy, leading to the infant’s death in the fall of 2020. Authorities say the crime unfolded in a residence on East Marsh Street, where Garcia lived …

Texas woman scalds 8-month-old baby to death in hot bath because she was mad about dirty diaper

HOOKS, TX – Authorities in northeast Texas are searching for a 21-year-old mother accused of killing her infant son by placing him in a bath of scalding water after reportedly losing her temper when the child soiled his diaper. Jatoria Cleamons, who once lived in Texarkana, faces charges of manslaughter and injury to a child following the death of her 8-month-old son, Courtlyn Cleamons. Police in Hooks said they are working to locate Cleamons and …

Father of dead 3-year-old girl fought for custody before mother killed her and wrapped her in plastic wrap

NORTH EAST, MD – A Maryland woman is facing murder charges after allegedly admitting to police that she fatally beat her 3-year-old daughter, whom she initially claimed had been kidnapped. The harrowing case unfolded with the discovery of human remains consistent with a young child in the vicinity of her boyfriend’s residence. Darrian Randle, 31, was arrested Wednesday, accused of killing her daughter, Nola Dinkins, and falsely reporting the child’s abduction. The case took a …

3-year-old girl in North Dakota dies and Ring camera footage shows foster mother abused her

STANLEY, ND – A North Dakota couple faces serious charges following the death of a 3-year-old girl they had fostered amid allegations that she endured months of brutal abuse in their home. Jamie Johnson, 44, and Raymond Johnson, 62, were charged with murder and child abuse after the young girl died in March from blunt force trauma to the head, according to court documents. The couple allegedly subjected her to severe punishments for minor infractions …

Home birth newborn dies when faith healer parents refuse to take her to hospital for treatment

LANSING, MI – A Michigan couple committed to faith-based healing has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for the death of their newborn daughter, Abigail. The couple, Rachel Piland, 38, and Joshua Piland, 44, were convicted on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse in late March. The tragic incident laid bare the clash between personal religious convictions and the state’s duty to protect children’s welfare. Ingham County Circuit Judge James …

Oklahoma children live with grandmother after their father dies and she keeps them in a dog cage and drugs them

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Authorities have arrested a 53-year-old Oklahoma woman for allegedly subjecting her grandchildren to abuse, which reportedly included drugging them and confining them in a dog cage. Davena Dian Marx is facing charges of child abuse and neglect, according to court documents. The case against Marx emerged last year after law enforcement and a social worker from the Oklahoma Department of Health Services investigated reports of child abuse in March 2024 at …

8-year-old Texas boy with multiple rib fractures was tortured to death by sister’s high school boyfriend

HARRIS COUNTY, TX — An 18-year-old facing serious charges related to the death of an 8-year-old boy appeared in court on Thursday, where a judge maintained his bond at $1 million, rejecting a request for reduction. Nolan Stallings stands accused of a felony charge of injury to a child resulting from an incident that occurred last month. Legal documents allege that Stallings inflicted harm on the young boy and neglected to provide necessary medical treatment. …

Unlicensed daycare owner doesn’t call 911 after she abuses 2-year-old until he’s unconscious

LAKEWOOD, CO – A Colorado woman has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for severely abusing a toddler, resulting in lasting injuries. Mckinley Slone Hernandez, 26, was convicted of abusing two-year-old Giovanni, whom she was babysitting at the time, according to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The police investigation began on September 1, 2023, when Hernandez brought the child to a local hospital. Giovanni was subsequently transferred to a children’s hospital for emergency …

Mother and her girlfriend starved and mistreated 8-year-old little boy found dead in Ohio attic

COLUMBUS, OH – A Columbus woman received a life sentence, with eligibility for parole after 15 years, for her role in the tragic death of her partner’s 8-year-old son. Johnna Lowe, 24, admitted to murder and gross abuse of a corpse in the death of Martonio Wilder, found in June 2024 in the attic of his home on Olmstead Avenue. Martonio’s disappearance was initially reported on June 28, 2024, by his mother, LaShanda Delores Wilder, …

South Dakota mother lets her quadriplegic teen son rot away at only 80 pounds

RAPID CITY, SD – A South Dakota woman received a 12-year prison sentence Monday after pleading guilty to charges of child abuse and the neglect of her disabled son, who weighed just 80 pounds upon his death at 18. Naomia Prairie, 40, admitted to subjecting her son, Donny Merrival, and a 7-year-old child to neglect and drug exposure. Merrival, who became a quadriplegic at 14, was severely malnourished and unwashed, drawing a comparison from his …