Mother charged in daughter's death

BENTON, Mo. -- The mother of a 2-year-old girl who died Saturday, allegedly at the hands of the mother's live-in boyfriend, has been arrested and charged in connection with the child's death and injuries sustained by another of her children.

Amanda K. Bramlett, 33, of Benton was arrested Tuesday after she allegedly admitted knowing her boyfriend, Raymond Bradley Dejournett, 25, had been abusive to her children in the past. Despite that knowledge, she told authorities she allowed Dejournett to watch her children while she was out of the house Saturday afternoon when Dejournett allegedly caused the death of Kennley Elizabeth Mae Bramlett.

Amanda Bramlett has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death and endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious physical injury, both in connection with injuries and subsequent death of her daughter. Scott County authorities have also charged her with an additional count of endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in serious physical injury, in connection with injuries sustained by her 5-year-old son between May 1 and June 1.

Dejournett had been charged with two felony counts -- abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. According to Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Oesch, his charges have been amended. He is now charged with child abuse resulting in death, two counts of child abuse resulting in serious physical injury and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious physical injury.

Both Dejournett and Bramlett are being held in the Scott County Jail. Bond for Dejournett has been set at $250,000, while Bramlett's is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Dejournett was arraigned Wednesday while Bramlett's arraignment will probably be next week, according to Scott County Sheriff's Department Capt. Ron Merideth.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Scott County Sheriff's Department, an officer responded to an emergency call at the house shared by Bramlett and Dejournett just outside of Benton on Saturday afternoon. Upon arrival he found emergency medical personnel performing first aid on Kennley Bramlett. According to the probable cause statement, the officer observed what he believed to be bruising "all over the child's body from her neck to her knees." the child was transported to Saint Francis Medical Center by ambulance and pronounced dead later that afternoon.

Dejournett, according to the probable cause statement, was at the residence and was watching Kennley along with three of her siblings. the children were taken to be medically screened and one of the children, a 5-year-old boy whose name has not been released, was found to have a broken back, according to authorities.

An autopsy performed Monday indicated Kennley had broken ribs and a severed duodenum which is the part of the small intestine immediately beyond the stomach. The preliminary cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the abdomen, according to the preliminary cause statement which also said "several small contusions were also located scattered all over the child's body. They were primarily focused on the stomach, however, there were others located on the chest, arms, back, neck and legs."

Bramlett and Dejournett were interviewed Tuesday at the Scott County Sheriff's Department. During her interview, Bramlett said she saw Dejournett throw one of the children against a wall at the home about a month ago and told investigators that may have been how the child's back was broken. However, she told authorities in her interview she didn't do anything to intervene.

According to the probable cause statement, Bramlett said Dejournett often did "wrestling moves" with the children and described the moves as choke slams and leg locks. She also reportedly told authorities he had thrown the children and she had witnessed Dejournett strike the children with a broken broom handle.

During his interview, Dejournett was asked by authorities if he had thrown the 5-year-old boy into a wall, and he reportedly said he probably did.

Bramlett, reportedly told investigators Bradley had been abusive to her in the past, adding she was scared of him but didn't know how to get away from him. She also reportedly admitted to investigators she was responsible for the care, custody and control of the children in her home and she allowed her children to be placed in situations in which they suffered physical injury as the result of abuse or neglect.

According to authorities, Dejournett is the father of one of Bramlett's six children, a 2-month-old child.

The surviving children "are in a safe place," according to Merideth.