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Former Beauty Queen Convicted of Murdering Boyfriend's Toddler

GEORGIA, USA — A former Georgia beauty queen has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the fatal beating of her boyfriend's 18-month-old son, in a crime prosecutors said was driven by jealousy and resentment.

Trinity Poague, a 20-year-old former student at Georgia Southwestern State University, was found guilty of the murder of Romeo "J.D." Williams. The jury delivered its verdict after hearing evidence that the toddler died from catastrophic injuries while in Poague's sole care in a dorm room in January 2024.

According to prosecutor Lewis Lamb, the child was a "healthy little boy" before his father, Julian Williams, left to pick up a pizza around noon. "By 12:30 p.m., he was in a literal death countdown," Lamb told jurors, describing injuries that included a fractured skull, a lacerated liver, and a brain bleed consistent with being struck in the head shortly before being hospitalized.

The prosecution's case centered on motive and opportunity. Lamb argued that Poague "resented" the child because she wanted to have her own baby with Williams and struggled with being a stepmother. Text messages shown in court, in which Poague told a roommate, "I can't stand being around J.D. anymore. He hates me and I hate him," were presented as evidence of this animosity. Video evidence confirmed the child was alert and well just before his father left, with Poague as the only adult present.

The defense argued that the fatal injuries could have occurred earlier, possibly from a fall from a 40-inch-tall bed or during an incident when the child's allegedly intoxicated father was present. However, the jury sided with the prosecution's timeline and evidence.

Poague, who was 18 at the time of the crime, was convicted on charges of felony murder, child cruelty, and aggravated battery. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Following her conviction, she was stripped of the Miss Donalsonville beauty pageant title she won in 2023.

*Source: Daily Mirror.*
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