KIMAURI WILLIAMS - 17 Months/ Accused: Mother; Shaniqua Jones and Alvin Daniel Gatewood - Virginia Beach VA

VIRGINIA BEACH

Police have charged a mother with felony child abuse and neglect in the death of her son.

Late Sunday night, Shaniqua Jones brought the child to the Sentara
Virginia Beach General Hospital emergency room with "numerous bruises on
his chest, stomach, arms, legs and head consistent with abuse,"
according to a search warrant application filed in Circuit Court.

The 19-month-old wasn't breathing, said Officer Jimmy Barnes, a police spokesman.

Emergency room staff declared the child dead shortly after midnight, according to police and the application.


Later that morning, police arrested Jones, 21, of the 1300 block of
Pine Cone Circle. She remained in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center
without bond Friday. She declined an interview request.

Police had not released the baby's name Friday afternoon.

Officers searched Jones' home but did not seize any evidence, according to a search warrant filed in Circuit Court.

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/12/mother-charged-death-toddler-virginia-beach

VB couple indicted in child's death

Updated: Monday, 02 Apr 2012, 3:03 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 02 Apr 2012, 2:46 PM EDT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A Grand Jury has indicted two people on murder and child abuse charges in connection to the death of a 19-month-old child in November.

Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, said Alvin Daniel Gatewood and Shaniqua Jones, both of Virginia Beach, have been indicted on second-degree felony murder charges in the November 2011 death of Jones’ 19-month-old baby, Kimauri Williams.

In November, Jones brought Kimauri to the emergency room at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, according to police. He was not breathing and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

According to Bryant, both Gatewood and Jones are also facing charges of felony child abuse/neglect.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for April 12 in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/va_beach/vb-couple-indicted-in-childs-death

Testimony: Va. Beach toddler had bruises, bite marks

By Kathy Adams, The Virginian-Pilot
April 13, 2012

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Kimauri Williams spent Thanksgiving Day with his extended family, who took cellphone videos of a happy toddler running and playing.

The next images captured of the 19-month-old boy would be for his autopsy, documenting the injuries that resulted in his death just four days later.

Now his mother, Shaniqua Jones, 21, and her boyfriend, Alvin D. Gatewood, 30, are awaiting trial in the toddler's death. A Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge Thursday certified felony child abuse charges against the couple, sending the case to Circuit Court, where they also face second-degree murder charges.

According to court testimony, Jones worked double shifts at her job at IHOP the nights of Nov. 25 and 26, leaving Kimauri and his older brother in Gatewood's care. Although he was not the children's father, Gatewood had taken on the role of baby-sitter since moving in with Jones eight months prior, testified Detective Sean Coerse, who investigated Kimauri's death.

The next day, Nov. 27, Kimauri began throwing up and by 7 p.m. he was lethargic and short of breath, with his eyes rolled back in his head, Coerse testified Gatewood told him.

The couple took the toddler to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, where doctors tried for 45 minutes to revive him, according to court testimony. He died shortly after midnight.

An autopsy concluded Kimauri died of blunt force trauma to his head and abdomen, testified Dr. Babatunde Stokes, a forensic pathologist with the medical examiner's office. The toddler also had signs of more systematic abuse, including bruises all over his body, bite marks, tears to his liver that caused his abdomen to fill with blood and older, partially healed injuries, Stokes said.

Coerse said he received conflicting accounts of what happened from Gatewood and Jones. Neither admitted striking Kimauri, though Gatewood said he would sometimes flick the children with his finger, Coerse said. Gatewood also told Coerse that he'd seen Jones strike the children when she became frustrated, Coerse testified.

They remain in jail and are scheduled to appear in court again next month.

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/testimony-va-beach-toddler-had-bruises-bite-marks