Tennessee Couple Murdered Infant Girl Who Died from ‘Acute Methamphetamine Toxicity’: Authorities

 

Christy Shadowens and Ronald Spencer appear in photos released by the MNPD.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) announced that Ronald Lee Spencer, 40, and Christy Michele Shadowens, 48, are accused of first-degree murder in the death of Alayna Shadowens on Jan. 27, 2021. The indictment also accuses the two defendants of aggravated child neglect, the MNPD said.

The infant was the niece of Christy Shadowens, the police determined.

“Alayna Shadowens had been staying with the couple for several days when Christy Shadowens discovered her niece unresponsive and not breathing in the couple’s Bonnalynn Drive residence,” the MNPD continued. “The child was transported to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.”

The local medical examiner’s office concluded that Alayna “died of acute methamphetamine toxicity,” according to an MNPD press release.

A subsequent investigation determined that the two defendants “were the sole care providers for Alayna at the time of her death and are responsible for narcotics in the home,” the MNPD added.

Generally speaking, caretakers owe a heightened duty of legal care to children.

The MNPD said Spencer was already in jail on “un-related drug charges,” but Christy Shadowens was on the lam as of Thursday. The department suspected that she may be in Dickson, Tenn., and asked anyone familiar with her whereabouts to call 615-742-7463. Callers to that number “can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward,” the department added.

According to an online court docket, Spencer also faces an ongoing prosecution involving counts of reckless driving, possession of a revoked license, driving while under the influence, and multiple counts of drug possession.  That case dates back to last July.

Online court records and a three-page indictment both indicate that Spencer and Shadowens are charged with two counts of felony murder, a charge which is included within Tennessee’s first-degree murder statute.  Prosecutors can allege felony murder when a death occurs during the perpetration of an underlying felony.  Law&Crime previously explained the elements prosecutors must prove in order to convict on felony murder and aggravated child neglect in another recent report from Tennessee.

According to state law, first-degree murder is punishable in Tennessee by the death penalty, by life in prison without the possibility of parole, or by life in prison (presumably with the chance of parole). It is unclear which possible punishment prosecutors will seek in this case because the matter is in its early stages.

The court records list Shadowens under the name Christy Michele Calhoun, which the MNPD tells Law&Crime is Shadowens’ maiden name.

The indictment against Shadowens and Spencer is below.

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/tennessee-couple-murdered-infant-girl-who-died-from-acute-methamphetamine-toxicity-authorities/?fbclid=IwAR20HDFHBZi2E5O6ho3KF_3caq1cUKtm0Y_EBhTYlIibSPzHUI3k920P7l0

More Details Released Of Houstin Kids Found Dead with Brother

In late October, we brought you the heartbreaking story of Harris County Sheriff's Deputies being called to the scene of three brothers that were abandoned by their mom and boyfriend with the corpse of their 8-year-old brother. The mom and boyfriend were arrested and are now awaiting trial with the boyfriend charged in the 8-year-old's murder. Sheriff officials have gone into a little bit more detail as to what they found when they first arrived on scene.

Harris County Sheriff Deputy, Corey Castro, sat down with ABC 13 in Houston to give them some more details into what they found when they arrived at the apartment that housed the abandoned brothers, ages 15, 10, and 7, with the decomposed body of their 8-year-old brother. Castro said there was a "very distinct smell" and the apartment was empty of furniture, there was no electricity and there were roaches everywhere.

Deputy Castro did not go into exact detail but did point out the position the 8-year-old's dead body was in. Castro said,

The main thing that got me was the position the child died in. Without going into too much positioning, I would say laying down in a certain position, and we have to be careful because of the integrity of this case.

It has also been revealed that two of the boys are autistic but were very aware and were verbal with officers. Deputy John Craig is the lead investigator for this case. He described seeing the fear in the boys eyes but also a happiness in seeing the officers.

They had the fear in their eyes. They didn't know what was coming next. They're happy. They want to talk to you and hug you and express how glad we are here. But you still see in their eyes, they have fear.

Deputy Craig did say that at one point when talking with the boys, they did hug the officer and he hugged them back.

There was some criticism of the sheriff's office because they didn't make a day one arrest after talking with the mother of the boys. Deputy Craig explained that this isn't like watching an episode of Law and Order. They have to take their time and make sure that all of the evidence is in order, get an accurate report from the medical examiner and obtain a proper arrest warrant. Because they did that, the mom and boyfriend were arrested with the appropriate charges.

Both the mom and boyfriend are behind bars awaiting a trial. The boyfriend, Brian Coulter, is charged with capital murder. The mother, Gloria Williams, is charged with injury to a child, injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence.

The boys remain in foster care where they are receiving therapy.

Pray for these three boys that find a good home and that justice will be served when the boyfriend and mom go to trial. You can find more details on this update at abc13.com.

https://classicrock961.com/abandoned-brothers-march-2022-update/?fbclid=IwAR2gWFzR_BXaYAlnlZ8cQ9URwhSAx_QwfSlhzdqkldOiIOjAZp07bN-5xm4

Read More: More Details Released of Houston Kids Found with Dead Brother | https://classicrock961.com/abandoned-brothers-march-2022-update/?fbclid=IwAR2gWFzR_BXaYAlnlZ8cQ9URwhSAx_QwfSlhzdqkldOiIOjAZp07bN-5xm4&utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral 

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Arizona foster care safety bill protects drug-exposed infants and the best interests of children

Rebecca Masterson • October 9, 2018

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SB1473, enacted into law on August 3, 2018, amended Arizona’s child welfare statutes in

important ways. The legislature adopted these changes in an 87:1 vote, demonstrating the

strong consensus behind the spirit and letter of the reforms.

This memo outlines the changes in an effort to assist with the uniform application of these

new laws in juvenile dependency actions.

Under the law:

• Recognizing that stability and family are critical to a child’s well-being, the Department of Child Safety (DCS) must work to find permanent homes for children under three years of age within one year.

• Because family is a priority, DCS must search diligently for relatives when a child is taken into custody;

• The law creates a presumption that foster families who have cared for an infant for nine months or more are kin. If, after nine months, a party wants to move an infant to another relation or placement, the change of placement must be in the infant’s best interest;

• Agencies and individuals involved in placement decisions must place the child’s best interests at the forefront;

• In all child welfare cases, DCS must check for the presence of “aggravating circumstances” or extreme abuse. When aggravating circumstances exist, the department must present the findings to the judge in the dependency action and petition to terminate parental rights.

• Non-medical, in utero drug-exposure is an aggravated circumstance in certain situations of chronic substance abuse.

To read the full legal brief, click here.
https://www.genjustice.org/post/arizona-foster-care-safety-bill-protects-drug-exposed-infants-and-the-best-interests-of-children