20yo beauty queen murders boyfriend’s toddler
A former beauty queen faces three decades behind bars after a jury found her guilty of killing her boyfriend's 18-month-old son in a college dorm room.
WARNING: Distressing content
A 20-year-old woman who beat her boyfriend’s 18-month-old to death broke down in court when she learned her fate.
Trinty Madison Poague, a former beauty queen, beat Romeo ‘Jaxton Dru’ Angeles — her boyfriend’s 18-month old son — to death in her college dorm room at Georgia Southwestern State University in January 2024.
Julian Williams, the child’s father, had left the dorm room to go pick up a pizza. The then 23-year-old came back to find his son barely conscious and vomiting.
The child had blunt force trauma wounds, a laceration on his liver, brain bleeds and a skull fracture that had haemorrhaged.
Romeo’s “brain was rendered useless”, according to an indictment obtained by Court TV. He died in hospital.
Lewis Lamb, the prosecutor, said: “By 12:30pm, he was in a literal death countdown.
“It wasn’t a question anymore as to whether or not he might live. It wasn’t a question anymore as to whether he could be saved. Wasn’t a question anymore as to whether he would ever be able to grow up. At 12:30pm he was dying.”
Poague pleaded not guilty when the court proceedings began — and even denied any involvement when she was first questioned by police. She claimed the toddler had fallen off the bed, according to WTVY.
She was found guilty of two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated battery and child cruelty.
The former Miss Donalsonville was sentenced to 30 years for one of the crimes and 20 years for another, which will be served at the same time.
She’s eligible for parole in 30 years.
She was acquitted of malice murder and broke down in tears when she learned her fate.
Prosecutors in the trial argued that Poague beat the toddler to death because she was jealous, Law & Crime reported.
She allegedly texted her roommate that day: “I can’t stand being around J.D. anymore. He hates me and I hate him”.
Her defence team argued that while she had expressed negative feelings towards the toddler no one had ever seen her physically harm him.
Originally published as 20yo beauty queen murders boyfriend’s toddler
