MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman has been indicted in the death of her 2-year-old son, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Keianna Hatchett, 27, has been indicted for first degree murder in the perpetration of aggravated abuse of a child under 8.
She has also been indicted for first-degree murder in the perpetration of aggravated neglect of a child under 8.
According to the DA’s office, at around 11 a.m. on December 1, 2020, Hatchett called police and said she found her son, Kingston Young, dead in a bedroom.
Hatchett reportedly told police they had spent the night at her boyfriend’s apartment on Ridge Drive near Riverdale Road and East Raines Road, where Kingston slept on a mattress on the floor of a spare bedroom.
The DA’s office says Hatchett told officers Kingston had thrown up before bedtime, and that she had checked on him throughout night.
The next morning, Hatchett reportedly woke her boyfriend up and told him she found Kingston face down and unresponsive on the floor.
The DA’s office says officers on the scene noted bruises on Kingston’s chin and forehead, as well as scratches on his stomach and back. An autopsy later revealed multiple internal injuries, including broken ribs, a liver laceration, head trauma and internal hemorrhaging.
Hatchett was taken into custody Friday. The DA’s office says she is being held on $750,000 bond.
WREG spoke with Kingston’s grandmother, Camelia Parker, Wednesday. She tearfully remembered her young grandson.
“He had his whole life ahead of him. I would have him every weekend, every other weekend and now it’s nothing, it’s nothing,” Parker said.
At the time, Parker said there had been no answers regarding Kingston’s death.
“It has been the worst thing. I’m talking about the tears are still flowing, I haven’t healed, I don’t have peace, my son doesn’t have peace,” Parker said.
She said an arrest would help their family heal.
“It would bring my family peace at this time,” Parker said.
Anita Hunt answered the door at Hatchett’s Bartlett home Monday. She said she’s a family friend who’s known Hatchett her whole life.
She called Hatchett a “beautiful mother” and a “wonderful person.”
She said the charges didn’t match up with the type of person she knew.
“The only thing I would wanna say today is she is innocent and time will show,” Hunt said.
Department of Children’s Services records related to the child’s death were not available online; a database showed the case file as “pending.”
