Judge Denies Request to Amend Release Conditions for Woman Charged in Child’s Murder

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A DC Superior Court judge denied a defense attorney’s request to allow her client, who is accused of killing her two-year-old child, to see her other children.

Ta’jenna Eason is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the death of her toddler, Gabriel Eason, on April 1, 2020. She and her partner and co-defendant, Antoinio Turner, are accused of abusing Gabriel and failing to seek medical attention for the injuries he sustained. According to court documents, when the police responded to their apartment on the 900 block of Division Avenue, NE, they found Gabriel with visible signs of trauma. He was pronounced dead on scene. 

Ta’jenna Eason, 31, was released with a stay away order during her initial hearing following her arrest in November. During the June 23 hearing, defense attorney Dana Page asked Judge Milton Lee to amend the current stay away order, so she can have supervised visits with her other two children through Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). 

Page said the modification would make the stay away order consistent with the case she has open in family court. She argues that if the neglect case finds it is in the best interest of the children to have supervised visits, the criminal court should follow suit, since the family court deals with parental matters more often.

The prosecution, however, opposed the request, saying that the older child, who is 11, will most likely be a witness in the case.

The defense then asked to amend the stay away order for just the younger child, who is 4 years old, since they are not old enough to be a witness and therefore would not be compromising the prosecution’s case.

However, Judge Lee said the four-year-old child could potentially be a witness, and denied both of the defense’s requests.

Eason’s next hearing is scheduled for July 26. At the next hearing parties are expected to schedule a preliminary hearing to determine if the case has enough evidence to go to trial. 

Parties are calso in plea negotiations. The prosecution has offered a pre-preliminary hearing plea deal, which is wired with Turner’s case.

Turner, 29, is facing the same charges as his partner. He is scheduled for a status hearing on Oct. 13.

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