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A Texas girl was sentenced to 50 years in jail final week for the 2019 killing of her boyfriend’s 4-year-old daughter, based on the Harris County District Lawyer’s Workplace.
Shawna Hooey, 33, of Tomball, was taking good care of her personal 5 youngsters and 4-year-old Jakyzia Alexander when she took her to a 24-hour emergency middle on Sept. 7, 2019, Harris County District Lawyer Kim Ogg mentioned in a information launch.
On the emergency clinic on the day of her dying, Alexander’s physique was already chilly and Hooey reportedly advised medical personnel and authorities at the least 4 totally different tales about what occurred to the kid, who had a visual black eye and different accidents.
“We have now to work collectively as a group to guard our kids who’re notably susceptible to abuse from violent adults,” Ogg mentioned. “We’re grateful to the jurors who acknowledged that this was not a single incident, however a sample of abuse and rightfully sentenced this girl to spend many years behind bars.”
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Shawna Hooey, 33, was sentenced to 50 years in jail for the homicide of 4-year-old Jakyzia Alexander. (Harris County District Lawyer)
Alexander started dwelling in Hooey’s residence when her father, who labored nights and had sole custody of her, entered a relationship with Hooey, Ogg mentioned. The woman’s father lived with members of the family at a distinct location nearer to his job, and barely noticed his daughter – solely seeing her by means of video calls within the two months earlier than her dying.
On the day of her dying, Hooey mentioned Alexander needed to be woken up and was taking deep, labored breaths and never performing usually. Hooey mentioned she drove the woman round “in a sizzling automobile to attempt to get her to breathe usually,” however finally went residence to vary garments and take Alexander to the emergency clinic, based on Ogg.
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When Hooey took 4-year-old Alexander to the emergency clinic on the day of her dying, the kid’s physique was already chilly, based on Harris County DA Kim Ogg. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP through Getty Pictures)
In different variations of what occurred to Alexander earlier than she died, Hooey claimed the kid ran right into a doorknob in a single occasion and threw herself in opposition to a bathroom paper holder within the rest room in one other. Each alleged incidents passed off two days earlier than Hooey took Alexander to the emergency room, and he or she claimed the kid was performing usually.
Additional examination revealed Alexander had indicators of repeated previous abuse, together with contemporary, resolving and healed accidents, based on Ogg.
Alexander’s post-mortem confirmed she died from blunt power trauma to the pinnacle, Ogg introduced, including that the deadly blow would have resulted in seizures, vomiting and dazed reactions virtually instantly. Witnesses testified that Alexander was performing usually the day earlier than she was taken to the emergency clinic.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace investigated the case, and later charged Hooey with homicide.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace charged Hooey with homicide after investigating the circumstances surrounding Alexander’s dying. (MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP through Getty Pictures)
Following a nine-day trial, a Harris County jury convicted Hooey of homicide and sentenced her to 50 years in jail.
Assistant District Lawyer Gilbert Sawtelle, a chief within the district legal professional’s workplace’s Little one Fatality Part, prosecuted Hooey and mentioned little one abusers usually work to cover indicators of abuse by protecting youngsters away from different adults or dressing them to cowl the accidents.
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“Little one abuse does occur, and once we see it, we have to name it out and notify the police and little one protecting companies,” Sawtelle mentioned within the launch. “This woman was carrying lengthy sleeves within the summertime—and if somebody had seen her accidents and intervened, she would in all probability nonetheless be right here at the moment.”
Hooey should serve at the least half of her jail sentence earlier than she shall be eligible for parole.
