The Sun News, Myrtle Beach NC
Woman charged in baby's fatal beating
written by David W. Macdougall and Andy Paras
Friday November 6, 2009
A Summerville woman accused of killing a 3-year-old girl entrusted to her care told police she had whipped her multiple times with a belt after she had urinated on the floor, according to court records.
Erica Mae Butts, 23, is charged with homicide by child abuse in the death of Serenity Richardson.
Serenity's body was found at Butts' residence about 7 p.m. Tuesday after Butts' mother dialed 911 and said the child was not breathing, according to court records. Summerville firefighters were first to arrive and found the child in full cardiac arrest. An unidentified woman inside the house told a paramedic the girl was sitting in a chair, fell backward and struck her head, the police report says.
The baby was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m.
Doctors and nurses at the hospital saw cuts and bruises on Serenity's chest, abdomen, legs, arms, feet and back. The police report said there was a large bruise on her head and a large burn mark on her right leg.
An autopsy determined that the cause of death was "full body blunt force trauma," the warrant says.
In addition to telling police she had whipped the child, Butts also told them Serenity had fallen and hit her head several times and that 30 minutes after her last fall, Serenity's breathing became shallow, court records said.
At that point Butts called her mother, who lives in Goose Creek, for help.
Butts and Serenity's mother, Ieshia Richardson, were best friends, according to Richardson.
Butts' lawyer, Christopher Lizzi, said Butts was Serenity's godmother. It is not clear why or how long the child had been staying with Butts at her home in the Lakes of Summerville subdivision.
The bond hearing was the first opportunity for Ieshia Richardson to deal publicly with her child's death.
She was at her home in Detroit, when she spoke to The Post and Courier on Wednesday and said she had hoped to be able to attend the hearing.
The bond hearing was held via a closed-circuit television system.
Woman charged in baby's fatal beating
written by David W. Macdougall and Andy Paras
Friday November 6, 2009
A Summerville woman accused of killing a 3-year-old girl entrusted to her care told police she had whipped her multiple times with a belt after she had urinated on the floor, according to court records.
Erica Mae Butts, 23, is charged with homicide by child abuse in the death of Serenity Richardson.
Serenity's body was found at Butts' residence about 7 p.m. Tuesday after Butts' mother dialed 911 and said the child was not breathing, according to court records. Summerville firefighters were first to arrive and found the child in full cardiac arrest. An unidentified woman inside the house told a paramedic the girl was sitting in a chair, fell backward and struck her head, the police report says.
The baby was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m.
Doctors and nurses at the hospital saw cuts and bruises on Serenity's chest, abdomen, legs, arms, feet and back. The police report said there was a large bruise on her head and a large burn mark on her right leg.
An autopsy determined that the cause of death was "full body blunt force trauma," the warrant says.
In addition to telling police she had whipped the child, Butts also told them Serenity had fallen and hit her head several times and that 30 minutes after her last fall, Serenity's breathing became shallow, court records said.
At that point Butts called her mother, who lives in Goose Creek, for help.
Butts and Serenity's mother, Ieshia Richardson, were best friends, according to Richardson.
Butts' lawyer, Christopher Lizzi, said Butts was Serenity's godmother. It is not clear why or how long the child had been staying with Butts at her home in the Lakes of Summerville subdivision.
The bond hearing was the first opportunity for Ieshia Richardson to deal publicly with her child's death.
She was at her home in Detroit, when she spoke to The Post and Courier on Wednesday and said she had hoped to be able to attend the hearing.
The bond hearing was held via a closed-circuit television system.
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