Posted at: 02/08/2008 06:32:45 AM
Updated at: 02/12/2008 02:42:48 PM
Woman charged in Mpls. 4-year-old's death
Demond Reed, 4
Carla Poole, 37
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A 4-year-old Chicago boy was held down by two other children as the woman who was supposed to be watching him beat him to death because he soiled his pants, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court.
Carla Cherisse Poole, 37, is charged with second-degree intentional murder in the death of Demond Keith Reed.
An autopsy showed the boy had multiple bruises, fractures, bite marks, and puncture wounds. His body was found Sunday in a closet in Poole's home, inside a green canvas bag tied with a white cord. That bag was also inside a plastic garbage bag that had Poole's fingerprints on it, the complaint said.
The boy came to Minneapolis around Christmas with his father, who is from Chicago. Last week, the father was ordered to the Hennepin County workhouse and he left Demond in his cousin's care.
Last Wednesday, Poole told her 11-year-old daughter to contact Demond's family and tell them he was missing. Poole told police that a friend had taken Demond, but police couldn't confirm that.
On Saturday, an 11-year-old said that Demond had been spanked after soiling his pants. The boy also had a seizure and began to vomit. The 11-year-old said Poole discussed calling 911, but "decided not to because she was afraid," the complaint said.
The 11-year-old said Demond stopped breathing. The next morning, the 11-year-old said the boy was "frozen," the complaint said. The 11-year-old told police that Poole put a blanket over Demond and left him on a bed for two days, before eventually moving him to the closet.
The complaint said a 6-year-old claimed to have seen Poole beating the boy, and that he and a 4-year-old were told to hold Demond down by the arms while he was beaten.
Dr. Jon Thompson of the medical examiner's office, said Demond had multiple bruises to his head and body. He had upper and lower frenulum tears - an injury associated with a blunt object being forced into the mouth. He had rib fractures of an undetermined age, puncture wounds in his stomach, back and buttocks, a bite mark on his stomach, a large bruise on his left eye and bruises on his extremities.
Poole's four children - ages 4 to 11 - were placed in protective custody.
Poole was being held on $1 million bail.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Updated at: 02/12/2008 02:42:48 PM
Woman charged in Mpls. 4-year-old's death
Demond Reed, 4
Carla Poole, 37
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A 4-year-old Chicago boy was held down by two other children as the woman who was supposed to be watching him beat him to death because he soiled his pants, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court.
Carla Cherisse Poole, 37, is charged with second-degree intentional murder in the death of Demond Keith Reed.
An autopsy showed the boy had multiple bruises, fractures, bite marks, and puncture wounds. His body was found Sunday in a closet in Poole's home, inside a green canvas bag tied with a white cord. That bag was also inside a plastic garbage bag that had Poole's fingerprints on it, the complaint said.
The boy came to Minneapolis around Christmas with his father, who is from Chicago. Last week, the father was ordered to the Hennepin County workhouse and he left Demond in his cousin's care.
Last Wednesday, Poole told her 11-year-old daughter to contact Demond's family and tell them he was missing. Poole told police that a friend had taken Demond, but police couldn't confirm that.
On Saturday, an 11-year-old said that Demond had been spanked after soiling his pants. The boy also had a seizure and began to vomit. The 11-year-old said Poole discussed calling 911, but "decided not to because she was afraid," the complaint said.
The 11-year-old said Demond stopped breathing. The next morning, the 11-year-old said the boy was "frozen," the complaint said. The 11-year-old told police that Poole put a blanket over Demond and left him on a bed for two days, before eventually moving him to the closet.
The complaint said a 6-year-old claimed to have seen Poole beating the boy, and that he and a 4-year-old were told to hold Demond down by the arms while he was beaten.
Dr. Jon Thompson of the medical examiner's office, said Demond had multiple bruises to his head and body. He had upper and lower frenulum tears - an injury associated with a blunt object being forced into the mouth. He had rib fractures of an undetermined age, puncture wounds in his stomach, back and buttocks, a bite mark on his stomach, a large bruise on his left eye and bruises on his extremities.
Poole's four children - ages 4 to 11 - were placed in protective custody.
Poole was being held on $1 million bail.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
