Joy King-Castro: Girl, 4, beaten to death by foster mom who chanted 'die, b***h, die'
TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA: In a horrifying incident of foster home abuse, a 41-year-old Florida woman has been accused of beating a 4-year-old girl to death and also abusing two other children whom she fostered. Lakeisha Mitchell, a resident of Titusville, Florida allegedly beat and strangled 4-year-old King Joy-Castro to death, all the while filming the assault on camera. Now, the investigation has found that Mitchell previously assaulted two other foster siblings, who were returned to their biological mother after welfare workers noticed injuries on their bodies.
It is being probed right now why Mitchell was allowed to be a foster mom to another child despite having a history of abuse. King Joy-Castro's caseworker Kirsten Larson highlighted the same and stated, "She said she wasn’t going to take her, and she notified BFP (Brevard Family Partnership) she wasn’t going to take her,” Lawson alleged. She further claimed Mitchell eventually changed her mind and decided to keep King-Castro. The child was reported dead on August 25, 2021, due to brain bleeding from blunt force head trauma.
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King Joy-Castro had stayed at three foster homes in the past for long terms before ending up under Mitchell's care. Despite an existing record of her behavioral issues, Mitchell denied knowing about the same before taking her in, though caseworker Larson tells otherwise. King-Castro started residing at Mitchell's place since June 2021.
On August 23, two days prior to King-Castro's horrific assault and death, Mitchell had called 911 to report that the 4-year-old girl was unconscious in the bathtub. However, medical evidence found no trace of drowning in the girl. She was rushed to the hospital on emergency with suspected injuries. She lated died on August 25, 2021.
A video found on Mitchell by prosecutors show her beating the 4-year-old girl brutally while saying, "I don't even care. Die. Die, b***h, die." She has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm, neglect of a child, and child abuse.
Speaking to the police during interrogation, Mitchell insisted that King-Castro had severe behavioral issues and often spoke to "demons". Furthermore, Mitchell's attorney has furnished a report from a psychologcal analyst stating that the minor girl was unable of feeling pain or empathy like other children.
However, police probe unearthed older records of Mitchell's abusive behavior towards other foster kids as well. The 41-year-old foster mother fostered two other kids previously, whom she beat up with belts, spatula, shoes or by bare hands. In fact, a report dated April 20, 2021, stated that one of the foster kids was found with a lump on the back of their head with a patch of hair missing. In additon, the child had bruises and abrasion on their faces and buttocks. There were other marking of abuse found on their back and ribs, which were apparently caused by a rope or cord. Despite the clear signs of abuse, Mitchell did not face any criminal charges back then while the children were immediately returned to their biological mother.
At present, a bond hearing date for Lakeisha Mitchell's hearing has been set for December 6, 2021.