KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Two counts of murder have been filed against a Kalamazoo mother accused of punching, beating and burning her daughter, who was found dead on her fourth birthday.
Daveeta Walker, 25, also faces felony counts of first-degree child abuse and torture.
Three other children were removed from Walker’s apartment on Douglas Avenue in March after Kharisma Richardson was found unresponsive over the Easter weekend.
Investigators claim Walker previously admitted to repeatedly striking her children and whipping Kharisma with a belt. Tests now show the child died from a combination of untreated burns and blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
he sentence for the most serious charges, the two felony counts, is mandatory life without parole. The other two charges could mean any term up to life.
Prosecutor Jeff Getting said the child was struck at least ten times soon before she died, according to the medical examiner’s report which came back this week.
Getting said the child also suffered third-degree burns when she was dropped into scalding water, wounds that had gotten so bad the little girl could no longer walk. Sources said the abuse was apparently triggered because the mother was frustrated over potty training.
Walker was stripped of custody of her other children soon after the investigation began. She will remain in the Kalamazoo County Jail through her trial.
– John McNeill contributed to this story
