SIKESTON -- A Sikeston mother and her boyfriend face charges in the death of the woman's son.
Kayla M. Williamson, 23 and Louis A. Hollis, 31, of Sikeston are each charged with felony child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and felony murder through Scott County Circuit Court, according to Sgt. Jon Broom, public information officer with Sikeston Department of Public Safety.
At 1:53 p.m. Sunday, officers with Sikeston DPS received a call of a 1-year-old child who was not breathing, Broom said. DPS officers and South Scott County EMS responded to the residence in the 600 block of South New Madrid Street to give aid to the toddler.
Upon their arrival, they found the boy unresponsive and not breathing, Broom said. The first responders immediately began CPR and transported him to the emergency room. Soon after, the boy was pronounced dead.
"Upon closer inspection of the boy's body, medical staff located injuries and bruising consistent with child abuse," Broom said. "Medical staff discovered some type of foreign substance inside the child's mouth."
These facts led to the Sikeston Criminal Investigative Unit to interview the mother and her boyfriend.
Williamson and Hollis were were subsequently arrested and charged. Williamson's bond is set at $50,000 cash or surety, and Hollis' bond is set at $100,000 cash or surety.
"An autopsy is scheduled in Farmington and detectives will continue to investigate this case," Broom said.