LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. — A Houma woman has been charged in the September killing of her 11-month-old girl, according to a Houma Today article.
The mother, Kageionna Butler, 21, faces charges of principal to second-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Zabria Guidry, according to the report.
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office announced the charges.
The girl's father, Jake Guidry, 26, was arrested & faces charges of second-degree murder after deputies were sent to a Thibodaux home in the 600 block of Brule Guillot Road to check on the child around 12:15 a.m. Sept. 28.
A family member concerned for the child's wellbeing called the sheriff's office.
Guidry told deputies the baby died after he hit her "too hard," LSPO told Houma Today.
Deputies later found Zabria dead in the back cargo area of her father's SUV.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said Zabria's mother was charged Sunday after an autopsy showed her daughter had been injured over several weeks before her death.
“The autopsy findings listed the cause of death as battered infant syndrome,” the sheriff told Houma Today. “There appeared to be significant injuries over a period of time as opposed to a single injury that would have caused death. The investigation determined the mother was aware of the abuse. She may or may not have contributed, we don’t know. The father has claimed responsibility for his actions but has not given any explanation beyond that he struck the baby too hard. But the pathology report clearly indicates more than a single incident.”
Zabria's mother knew about the ongoing abuse but did nothing to stop it, the sheriff said.
“During the course of time when the infant was harmed, the mother was always in the company of the father and infant and did not take any steps to seek medical attention or bring the abuse to the attention of law enforcement,” the sheriff said.
Zabria's mother is being held on $1 million bail.
