Black Caregivers Are Indicted on Capital Murder Charges in Death of 2-Year-Old

Two caregivers form Texas have been charged with capital murder in the death of a two-year-old girl who was repeatedly beaten with a belt because she wet herself.

Toddler Aniyah Darnell died in Arlington in November 2018 after she suffered sustained abuse at the hands of Shamonica Jackson and Derick Roberson, police say.

Jackson, 34, who had been caring for the girl for several months, would allegedly beat and burn the toddler’s buttocks to teach her a lesson because she kept wetting her clothes.

She also refused to give the child water, would immerse her in hot water and opted for ‘home remedies’ instead of seeking medical treatment for the injuries.

Aniyah’s family say she was tortured as well as murdered.

Roberson, 38, has been accused of failing to stop Jackson from causing the injuries, according to his indictment.

Shamonica Jackson (l.) and Derick Roberson

They pair were initially charged with felony injury following Aniyah’s death. But last week, the pair were indicted on one count each of capital murder of a person under 10 years old.

They now face the death penalty if convicted.

Aniyah was pronounced dead at Medical City Arlington after police found her lifeless body at the Las Lomas Apartments at 1am on November 17.

According to the Tarrant County medical examiner, the toddler’s causes of death were battery and dehydration.

At the time of her arrest, Jackson admitted she repeatedly struck Aniyah because she had become frustrated with the girl wetting her clothes and wanted to ‘teach her a lesson’, according to a police affidavit.

The woman told investigators she didn’t seek medical help for the severe burn on the child’s backside, reported CBS DFW.

Even though the child was injured, the affidavit stated, Jackson continued striking Aniyah as punishment with her hand or the belt.

The unsealed indictment alleged that the caretaker also hit Aniyah against a hard surface, immersed her in hot liquid and withheld water from her, as Dallas News first reported.

According to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, the toddler’s causes of death were battery and dehydration.

Aniyah’s causes of death were determined to have been battery and dehydration

Aniyah’s grandfather, Ronnie Ingram, said his beloved, happy granddaughter ‘died a slow death.’

The man explained that Aniyah’s biological mother had fallen on hard times and was unable to care for the toddler and her three other children: an infant and two elementary school-aged boys.

Aniyah somehow wound up in Jackson’s care in August of last year, although her relationship to the girl is still unclear.

At the time of Aniyah’s death, her brothers were living with other people. The two eldest children are now living with Ingram.

The grandfather said he wants Jackson and Roberson held accountable for their actions.

‘There a time when you have to answer for the things that you do,’ he said.