BENTON - A Sikeston woman will be tried for first
degree murder in the death of a five-month-old infant.
Latoya Marie Fletcher, 21, is charged with first
degree and armed criminal action in connection with
the Sept. 17, 2001, death of Octavia Nyshae Clark.
Following a preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon,
Scott County Associate Judge David C. Mann ordered
Fletcher bound over for trial; she is to return to
court Jan. 10.
Testifying at the hearing was Sikeston Department of
Public Safety Officer Patrick McCauley Jr., who was
the first officer called to the house.
He stated that when he arrived at the residence,
located in the 300 block of Alabama, he was met
outside by the child's mother, Audrey Clark, and at
the door of the home was Fletcher.
The child, according to the officer, had "no pulse, no
breath." He began CPR on the infant and continued CPR
until turning the child over to emergency medical
personnel, who arrived a short time later.
McCauley then began a child death report, which is
required by Missouri in the death of a child. At the
time, the officer related, he didn't believe anyone in
the home was a suspect in the infant's death.
In his testimony, McCauley said Fletcher told him the
child was sleeping at 1 a.m. but when she went into
the bedroom the child was sharing with four other
children at 7:15 a.m. Sept. 17, the child was
unconscious.
He noted a trash bag located along side the mattress
in the bedroom where the child had been asleep. Also
McCauley stated he interviewed Fletcher, Clark and two
of the four men at the scene, however he has not been
able to locate or determine the names of the other two
men.
The officer also went to the hospital, where he
learned of the child's death and spoke with the
attending physician and the mother.
Sikeston DPS Detective James Donner stated he took two
statements from Fletcher as part of his investigation.
He testified that on Nov. 7, Fletcher was advised of
her rights and signed a waiver prior to making an
audio-taped statement.
Donner stated at the time Fletcher told him one of the
other children had awakened early Sept. 17 and after
getting that child back to sleep, Fletcher picked up
Octavia and laid her face down on the floor on the
plastic trash bag.
"At the time she stated she didn't think she would
hurt the child," Donner told the court. "She just
wanted to 'faze' her."
According to the officer the woman stated she had
intended to make the child light-headed. Also she told
Donner she and Clark had discussed earlier what it was
like to lose a child and Fletcher, who had lost a
child, wanted Clark to know what it felt like.
During cross-examination, Donner stated he did
photograph the scene the day of the crime but did not
interrogate any of those witnesses who were at the
house at that time. He later did take statements from
Clark, Fletcher and one of the men at the house.
Also presented into evidence was the child's death
certificate which lists cause of death as suffocation.
The judge ordered Fletcher to continue to be held
without bond pending her Jan. 10 court date.