A Milwaukee mother, Zaquitta Joiner-Murphy, has been charged in connection with the death of her 3-year-old son, Da’Quarius Berry, after he was found unresponsive earlier this month. Joiner-Murphy, 34, has been charged with child neglect resulting in death following the incident that occurred near 29th Street and Concordia Avenue on November 6.
According to the criminal complaint, Joiner-Murphy stated that on the morning of November 6, she was getting her other four children ready for school. She claimed that at around 5:40 a.m., Berry was awake and appeared to be fine. She also noted that, aside from a recent stomach virus, he had been in good health.
After leaving the home to drop the other children at a bus stop, she returned shortly after, allegedly within ten minutes, and found Berry lifeless with a faint pulse. Berry was rushed to a hospital, where doctors discovered a “large hemorrhage” in his abdomen, which they determined was caused by non-accidental trauma. Investigators concluded that the injuries indicated a “complete utter disregard for human life.”
In an interview with police, Joiner-Murphy said that only three people were responsible for the care of her children: herself, her boyfriend, and an upstairs neighbor. Joiner-Murphy, who works as a bartender from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m., claimed she would occasionally ask the neighbor to check on the children while she was working, told WISN.
However, the neighbor told police she was staying with her grandmother from November 5 to 7, leaving her unavailable to assist. Surveillance footage later confirmed this alibi. The criminal complaint revealed that on the night of November 5, Joiner-Murphy left her children alone after picking up her boyfriend. They returned home around 1:30 a.m., and after spending some time together, Joiner-Murphy left for work at 2 a.m.
She claimed to have asked the neighbor to watch the children, though the neighbor was not present. Joiner-Murphy returned to the home around 5:45 a.m., prepared the children for school, and noticed Berry was awake, sitting on the couch.
After dropping her other children off, she returned to find Berry still on the couch. She then took a shower and went to change him, only to discover he was unresponsive. She immediately began CPR and instructed her boyfriend to call 911. The cause of death was later determined to be blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
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A detective later confronted Joiner-Murphy with evidence that the neighbor had not been at the home, which she confirmed. Authorities have yet to determine who inflicted the trauma, as the complaint lists Joiner-Murphy and another individual as potential suspects.
Joiner-Murphy appeared in court on November 15, wearing an anti-suicide smock. The court set her bond at $50,000. If convicted, Joiner-Murphy faces up to 25 years in prison. Berry’s grandmother confirmed that the other children are now in the care of family members.
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