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Tag: Kilah Davenport

  • Kilah Davenport, Child Abuse Victim, Dies at 4

    Four-year-old Kilah Davenport, who was severely beaten in May 2012, died Thursday.

    According to Jeff Gerber of the Kilah Davenport Foundation, Kilah stopped breathing Thursday at her North Carolina home. Kilah was taken to Northeast Medical Center after her mother tried and failed to resuscitate her with CPR. The little girl was pronounced dead at the hospital.

    Kilah’s grandmother, Leslie Davenport, spoke briefly during a press conference attended by North Carolina Governor Roy McCrory.

    “We’re not sure really what happened. There will be an autopsy to find out exact cause and we appreciate everyone’s prayers and support,” said Davenport. “Please continue to pray for our family. This is the second hardest thing we’ve been through. The first was when Kilah got hurt and now we lost her.”

    “We know she’s dancing in heaven. She’s not in pain anymore,” she said.

    “We have to support this family today,” McCrory said. “I had tears in my eyes when I found out.”

    Stepfather Joshua Houser was just sentenced in february to 92 to 123 months in prison for felony child abuse.

    Kilah suffered permanent skull and brain injuries after Houser flew into a “fit of rage” and shoved her head through a wall leaving her with a broken collarbone, fractured skull, brain injuries and bruising on her body.

    NBC Charlotte spoke to a local defense attorney who said Houser could now be charged with murder.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kilah Davenport: Child Abuse Victim Dies At Age 4

    “We know she’s dancing in heaven. She’s not in pain anymore,” said her grandmother Leslie Davenport.

    The four-year-old girl, who was severely beaten by her stepfather in May 2012, finally stopped breathing on Thursday. Kilah was at home with her mother, who tried to revive her with CPR before rushing Kilah to Northeast Medical Center. Doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.

    Kilah was three years old when her stepfather Joshua Houser allegedly picked her up and slammed her head against the wall of their North Carolina home in a fit of rage. The assault caused Kilah to sustain severe and permanent brain damage, which required part of her skull to be removed due to the extreme swelling on her brain. The young girl also suffered a broken clavicle and multiple bruising in various parts of her body. Houser continues to deny the allegations, claiming that he would never hurt his stepdaughter.

    Kilah’s family arranged a brief press conference on Thursday to address the young girl’s death. They were joined by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, who said that he wept when he found out about Kilah’s passing. Jeff Gerber, who is the founder of the Kilah Davenport and Justice For All Coalition encouraged Kilah’s family to campaign for stronger child abuse laws in 2012. Kilah’s story pushed the passing of a North Carolina law that increases sentencing punishments for five child-abuse related offenses. Congress is currently pressuring other states to follow suit.

    Last month, Houser was convicted of the felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily harm, and was sentenced to a mere 92 to 123 months in prison. If the crime had been committed after the new law was enacted, Houser would have gotten a minimum of 25 years in prison.

    Kilah appeared in court with her mother Kirbi Davenport during the last two days of the trial. She rested quietly by her mother’s side and occasionally made low moans. With Kilah’s death, Houser could face additional charges, although Union District Attorney Trey Robinson has yet to comment on the possibility.

    Image via YouTube