Plea Deal Drops Homicide Charge for One of the Parents Charged After Toddler’s Death

By Justin Ancheta [former] - January 31, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

Two parents who initially faced murder charges in the death of their two-year-old son entered guilty pleas. One of the defendants had their homicide charge dropped in its entirety.

On April 1, 2020, 31-year-old Ta’jeanna Eason called the police for her son, Gabriel Eason. Officers responded to the family home on the 900 Block of Division Avenue, NE, and found the child unconscious. Emergency personnel attempted to perform life-saving interventions. Despite their best efforts, Gabriel was pronounced dead on scene.

A medical examiner determined the child’s cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries and ruled it a homicide.  Approximately seven months after the incident, Eason and the child’s father, 28-year-old Antonio Turner, were arrested. Both were initially charged with felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children.

The two accepted a plea deal on Jan. 27. Turner pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, first-degree cruelty to children and assault with significant bodily injury. Eason pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Her homicide charge was dropped.

The two are scheduled to be sentenced on March 25.