LAPLACE, La. — A couple in LaPlace was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of a one year old baby girl. Keaura Dillon, 23, called 911 at 9:30 Sunday morning from her Revere Drive apartment in LaPlace telling dispatchers her daughter wasn't breathing, according to Sheriff Mike Tregre.
"When officers got to the apartment they found this child, a one year old little girl, in a bed unresponsive and no vital sign," Sheriff Tregre said.
He said the coroner ruled it a homicide as the child died of blunt force trauma. Investigators interviewed Dillon and her 23 year old boyfriend, Renard Robinson, who she lived with. He is not the child's biological father.
"They tried to lead us to believe it was something else that may have happened to the child but when we saw the injuries, those things did not add up. It did not take long for the young man, Renard, to confess," Sheriff Tregre said. "He told us he was home alone with the child, the child was starting to cry. He grabbed the child and beat the child on the floor and he struck the child on the bed rail, the post of the bed, and put the child back in the bed."
That was hours before anyone called 911.
Robinson was arrested for second degree murder with a $300,000 bond. Dillon was arrested for accessory after the fact and is being held on a $190,000 bond. Investigators don't believe she was home at the time of the abuse but believe she tried to cover it up.
"He admitted to us she knew what he had done. She tried to deny it," Sheriff Tregre said. “She did not show any emotions until we put the handcuffs on her. Even though we told her these were the injures we found and we told her he confessed, she never cried, she never showed any emotion.”
Sheriff Tregre is urging anyone with children to ask for help when feeling overwhelmed.
"Please call 911, please call somebody, call anybody. Say, 'I need a break, I don't know what to do, this child won't stop crying,'" Sheriff Tregre said.
Sheriff Tregre said the mother also has a four year old son. He didn't appear to be injured and had a custody hearing to be figure out the best place for him.
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