Trial date slated for Sikeston woman accused in baby's murder

By Jill Bock ~ Standard Democrat

BENTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston, Mo., woman will be tried for first-degree murder in the death of a 5-month-old child.

Latoya Marie Fletcher, 21, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Sept. 17 death of Octavia Nyshae Clark.

Following a preliminary hearing this week, Scott County Associate Judge David C. Mann ordered Fletcher bound over for trial; she is to return to court Jan. 10.

Testifying at the hearing was Sikeston Department of Public Safety officer Patrick McCauley Jr., who was the first officer called to the house.

He stated that when he arrived at the residence in the 300 block of Alabama, he was met outside by the child's mother, Audrey Clark, and at the door of the home was Fletcher.

The child, according to the officer, had "no pulse, no breath."

He began CPR on the infant and continued CPR until turning the child over to emergency medical personnel, who arrived a short time later.

McCauley then began a child death report, which is required by Missouri in the death of a child.

In his testimony, McCauley said Fletcher told him the child was sleeping at 1 a.m. but when she went into the bedroom the child was sharing with four other children at 7:15 a.m. Sept. 17, the child was unconscious.

He noted a trash bag located along side the mattress in the bedroom where the child had been asleep.

McCauley stated he interviewed Fletcher, Clark and two of the four men at the scene; however, he has not been able to locate or determine the names of the other two men.

The officer also went to the hospital, where he learned of the child's death and spoke with the attending physician and the mother.

Sikeston police detective James Donner stated he took two statements from Fletcher as part of his investigation.

He testified that on Nov. 7, Fletcher was advised of her rights and signed a waiver prior to making an audiotaped statement.

Donner stated at the time Fletcher told him one of the other children had awakened early Sept. 17 and after getting that child back to sleep, Fletcher picked up Octavia and laid her face down on the floor on the plastic trash bag.

"At the time she stated she didn't think she would hurt the child," Donner told the court.

"She just wanted to 'faze' her," Donner said.

According to the officer the woman stated she had intended to make the child light-headed. Also she told Donner she and Clark had discussed earlier what it was like to lose a child and Fletcher, who had lost a child, wanted Clark to know what it felt like.

During cross-examination, Donner stated he did photograph the scene the day of the crime but did not interrogate any of those witnesses who were at the house at that time. He later did take statements from Clark, Fletcher and one of the men at the house.

Also presented into evidence was the child's death certificate, which lists the cause of death as suffocation.

The judge ordered Fletcher to continue to be held without bond, pending her Jan. 10 court date.