CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte woman is behind bars after police said she beat her daughter to death two years ago in Florida.
Janee Dickson, 26, is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and she is waiting to be extradited to Florida.
Volusia County, Fla. deputies said two years ago, Dickson beat her 7-year-old daughter Kamia Jean-Baptiste. Kamia died at the hospital on March 7, 2018.
Officials said during initial interviews with Dickson, she said Kamia was hurt while playing on a slide at a playground. Dickson’s boyfriend Brandon Williams contradicted her and told detectives that Dickson hit the child on several occasions.
In another interview, Dickson changed her story and told deputies Williams was the one who physically disciplined her after she repeatedly asked to stop to go to the bathroom.
She said when they stopped, Williams pulled her from the car and beat her. Then, she said they drove to another location and he beat her with the same object and then, a second object.
Authorities said Dickson did not call 911 or get help for Kamia during the beatings or afterwards, even though she noticed her daughter was having trouble breathing later that night.
Dickson said throughout the night, Kamia was constantly thirsty and couldn’t sleep. The next morning, March 6, 2018, she noticed Kamia had gone limp, was cold to the touch and unresponsive so she took her to the hospital. Kamia died at the hospital the next day.
According to Dickson, on the day Kamia died, Williams got rid of the items used to beat the child as well as her clothes and other personal items. Williams, however, has denied Dickson’s allegations and said he never hit Kamia.
Deputies said Dickson could face more charges. The aggravated manslaughter charge is based on evidence that she contributed to her daughter’s death by not providing her help, either by observing or causing her injuries.
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