Hillsborough judge had ordered protection for baby now dead
By John Barry and Ileana Morales, Times Staff Writers
Posted: May 20, 2011 11:11 AM
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Swazikki Davis, center, holds the first teddy bear given to her son Ezekiel Mathis at her Tampa apartment Friday. Davis' boyfriend Damarcus Kirkland-Williams has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of 13-month-old Ezekiel. Davis is surrounded by Jamieca Stewart, left, her mother Mary Davis, second left and Ronald Stewart, right.
[WILLIE ALLEN | Times]
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[Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office]
Damarcus Kirkland-Williams, 21, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse after beating to death his girlfriend's 13-month-old baby boy.
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TAMPA — Nine days after a judge ordered a bruised 2-year-old girl into foster care and ordered the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office to immediately check on the safety of her 13-month-old brother, authorities say the little boy was killed by the mother's angry boyfriend.
Damarcus Kirkland-Williams, 21, was charged on Thursday with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Sheriff's deputies say he got angry at the mother of Ezekiel Mathis on Wednesday and intended to throw Ezekiel onto the bed. Instead, the baby struck a dresser.
Kirkland-Williams told investigators he then put the baby in bed on his stomach, according to deputies. The baby would not stop crying, so he intentionally hit him twice on his back, deputies reported.
Ezekiel was the younger brother of a battered 26-month-old girl, Fantasia, who was brought before Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan on Monday, May 9.
Sheehan said Fantasia had suffered bruises from head to toe. The mother wouldn't say how it happened, and the child was placed in a foster home.
During the hearing, Sheehan said she discovered that Ezekiel was still living with the mother.
She ordered the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office "in no uncertain terms" to immediately determine whether Ezekiel needed to be taken out of the home, too. She put the order in writing.
Sheehan didn't hear back from the Sheriff's Office. She learned Thursday that Ezekiel had died.
Yyoni Bunkley, 31, sister of the baby's mother, said she was always suspicious of Kirkland-Williams. She said she saw bruises on Fantasia. She could tell the girl was afraid of the boyfriend.
"You can just tell when a child has been abused," Bunkley said. "I don't understand why they would take one child and not the other."
Bunkley said the boyfriend had previously been questioned by the Sheriff's Office after he was observed being aggressive with Fantasia at a park.
"He should have been arrested," Bunkley said.
The suspect told investigators that Ezekiel's mother, 21-year-old Swazikki Davis, was not present when he threw and struck Ezekiel on Wednesday. He said he found the child unresponsive around 11:30 p.m..
Davis said she was in the bathroom at the time and heard her boyfriend pounding on the door.
She learned Friday from a St. Petersburg Times reporter that he had been charged with murder.
"I can't believe they accused him of murdering my child. This is freaking crazy," she said.
She shook her head and held onto a stuffed toy.
An autopsy of the baby was completed by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office, which revealed the cause of death to be blunt impact trauma to the head and torso with lacerations to the liver and spleen. Officials ruled the death a homicide.
Kirkland-Williams was held in jail without bail Friday.
[Last modified: May 20, 2011 01:33 PM]
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Viewing 1 - 18 of 18 comments Oldest First Newest First Top Rated
openyoureyes727 May 20, 2011 11:19 AM About 2 hours ago Someone needs to throw him around perhaps off the top of a high rise buiding!
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Report Abuse 1 7 SuperStroke May 20, 2011 12:29 PM About 1 hour ago At least he didn't shoot the baby. His cousin probably has the gun. We'll read about him tomorrow. Reply
Report Abuse 2 2 loveourchildren May 20, 2011 11:32 AM About 2 hours ago This story brought tears to my eyes. How can you hurt a child like that? I hug and kiss my kids constantly - she they can be annoying and whining but never has it ever crossed my mind to physically harm them.
Kids cry, scream, whine, spill things, break things, have potty accidents, the list goes on and yes it gets on your nerves but don't beat them. Walk away for a minute to gather your thoughts, call a friend/neighbor to come over don't loose control.
Rest in peace little angel. I can't wait to get out of work to hug my children.
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Report Abuse 0 11 LOL Al May 20, 2011 11:32 AM About 2 hours ago I don't understand the whole mentality of beating one's own children to death. Must be a cultural thang.
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Report Abuse 4 5 truth_hurts May 20, 2011 12:11 PM About 1 hour ago this aint no cultural thang. white, black, asian, every culture has scumbags like this. he should be fixed like a dog so he cant have any children and should be beaten with the same injuries he gave the defenseless child and left alone in a room leaving his fate in the hands of whatever god he prays to. i would be the first in line to do the job. Reply
Report Abuse 0 7 DeathMetal May 20, 2011 11:53 AM About 2 hours ago Oh my... this is horrible.
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Report Abuse 0 3 Havok May 20, 2011 12:00 PM About 1 hour ago I hope and pray some inmate justice will prevent us from paying for this "person" while he is in prison.
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Report Abuse 1 6 fedup007 May 20, 2011 12:06 PM About 1 hour ago Just another piece of "ghetto" trash, who has no value for human life. Death penalty!! Totally a premediated murder.
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Report Abuse 1 8 Censorshipsucks May 20, 2011 12:08 PM About 1 hour ago Sad story, may justice prevail @ sentencing and my the family have peace.
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Report Abuse 0 5 lvnthedream May 20, 2011 12:12 PM About 1 hour ago Poor child. RIP. I hope the monster who did this to the child is never permitted within a mile of another child.
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Report Abuse 0 3 seminolebuck1 May 20, 2011 12:14 PM About 1 hour ago Damarcus Kirkland-Williams?
hhhmmnnn....wonder what color he is?
good luck at Raiford jack off. better pack your KY jelly. You about to be a lot of big black guys new b*tch!
can you say "squeal" Damarcus?
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Report Abuse 4 3 yachtharbor May 20, 2011 12:27 PM About 1 hour ago This mother is an idiot too. And the mother stated "I can't believe they accused him of murdering my child. This is freaking crazy,". Another irresponsible "getto" momma watching out for her "man" rather than the welfare of her child. And another single mom with no father in sight. One has to wonder how certain segments of society justify the actions of THUGS.
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Report Abuse 1 11 truth_hurts May 20, 2011 12:35 PM About 1 hour ago now she gonna have to find another baby daddy so she can start gettin those checks again. probably already workin on another one. Reply
Report Abuse 2 5 marcos May 20, 2011 12:31 PM About 1 hour ago With no actual regard for the poor child this idiot mother stands up for the scum that murdered the boy...terrible
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Report Abuse 0 6 energybeast May 20, 2011 12:42 PM About 1 hour ago They should arrest these stupid mothers who leave their child with anyone and everyone.. How could you not hear your baby strike a dresser and then cry and all of a sudden stop crying. HCSO one more pick up pls
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Report Abuse 0 3 727gal May 20, 2011 12:48 PM About 1 hour ago The mother must be one of stupid bicht.she should be put away in jail also as she wasnt paying really attention to her child.
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Report Abuse 1 3 J_S May 20, 2011 12:54 PM About 1 hour ago This is complete BS! How the hell does anyone muster up enough "balls" to abuse a defense-less infant. I agree with Seminolebuck1, "good luck at raiford, jack off".. Let's see how much he likes it when Bubba and his buddies toss him around and whoop his @ss knowing he's a baby murderer. I've never been to prison but I hear the ones who abuse children, pray their @sses off to be locked up in confinement. Hope the guards are smart enough to keep this ●●●●●●● in general population.
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Report Abuse 0 2 mayor of moronia May 20, 2011 1:10 PM About 26 minutes ago Better yet, why didnt HCSO go check on the baby like the judge ordered them to do? Prolly busy bustin folks for seat belts. HCSO: OBSERVE AND COLLECT.
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Report Abuse 0 0 tt May 20, 2011 1:24 PM About 12 minutes ago Or for smoking pot Reply
Report Abuse 0 0 JaneCastorLies May 20, 2011 1:35 PM About 1 minute ago or for abusing children THROUGH FALSE REPORTS. I'd certainly like to compare this to a family's experience at the hands of FALSE REPORTERS. MORE VISITS THAN I HAVE MADE TO THE BATHROOM>>> TWICE A DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR TWO MONTHS. After the family provided PROOF OF FALSE REPORTS. The sheriff should NOT HAVE this responsibility he is using it to PUNISH PEOPLE NOT TO PROTECT CHILDREN. He is using it in vendetta fashion. SUE HIM. Reply
Report Abuse 0 0 LisaH May 20, 2011 1:10 PM About 26 minutes ago She should be in there with him.
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Report Abuse 0 1 GrimReaper May 20, 2011 1:16 PM About 20 minutes ago Sick peice of garbarge
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Report Abuse 0 1 JaneCastorLies May 20, 2011 1:33 PM About 3 minutes ago do they live on wishart?? right by the firemen who live there by the droves? I saw four or five sheriff cars there the other evening which is very weird as it is city ... Reply
Report Abuse 0 0 tt May 20, 2011 1:23 PM About 13 minutes ago I have a new .45 I'd like to neuter them both with. This makes me sick.
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