Darryl Richardson and Brandee Williams: Louisiana dad jailed without bond after 6-week-old twin boy’s murder, mom’s bond raised to $1M
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: Two parents are being charged with first-degree murder after their six-week-old twins were abused, resulting in the death of one of them. Brandee Williams, the mother of the twins, reported that her son was still alive when she left the apartment at 6.30 pm on Thursday, April 13, but was unresponsive when she returned home around 10.30 pm.
Williams attempted CPR and called emergency services, but paramedics pronounced the baby dead at the scene. Darryl Richardson, who was alone with the boy, claimed to have placed the child in the bassinet at 7.45 pm and turned him over on his stomach as he wouldn't stop crying. However, the East Baton Rouge Coroner stated that this account did not match the evidence gathered.
READ MORE
California throuple to serve 100 years in prison over child abuse, torture and sexual abuse at home
'Turning the baby over does not cause these types of injuries'
"They're not consistent in the fact that just turning the baby over does not cause these types of injuries," Dr Beau Clark told WBRZ. On Monday, the coroner's office conducted an examination of the deceased infant and discovered evidence of blunt-force trauma and internal bleeding in the child's head. Furthermore, a medical assessment revealed that the infant's twin sister had sustained a skull fracture and other injuries.
Clark stated that these injuries were unlikely to have resulted from an accidental fall or other mishaps. "I'm sure if you were dropped from a height, it's potentially possible. However, I would refer to my forensic pathologist who sees a lot of these cases, and there are certain things through her examination of the body that can make a determination whether it is accidental or, in this case, what we believe is inflicted," he explained.
Richardson is jailed without bond; Williams' bond was increased to $1M
On Monday, April 17, both parents were summoned for questioning regarding the injuries sustained by their children. They maintained that they had no knowledge of how their infants suffered those injuries and requested their attorneys to represent them. Initially, they were charged with cruelty, but their charges were later elevated to first-degree murder on Thursday, April 20. On Friday, April 21, Judge Mike McDonald ordered that Richardson remain in jail without bond on a charge of first-degree murder, as well as $250,000 for each of the two counts of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. For Williams, the judge increased the bond amounts to $500,000 for first-degree murder and $250,000 for each of the two counts of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile, bringing the total bond to $1 million.
Statement by the DCFS
The couple has additional children, who have now been handed over to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The agency released the following statement: "As a department, it is our desire to provide information that we are allowed to provide while maintaining the respect and dignity of those involved and those who confidentially report suspected child abuse and/or neglect. DCFS is saddened to report the tragic death of a 1-month-old child who passed away on April 14, 2023. The child’s death was ruled a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome and was reported to DCFS on April 17, 2023, upon completion of the autopsy. DCFS received custody of the surviving children on April 18, 2023. The department initiated a comprehensive medical exam of the children that revealed concerning injuries in the surviving twin. A sibling of the deceased child was the subject of a child welfare investigation in March 2022. DCFS found the father was responsible for the abuse, but the mother had not harmed the child. When DCFS’s involvement ended, a criminal protective order was in place, prohibiting the father from having contact with the child."