Published Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:26 AM
Updated Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:26 AM

 

Mother charged in St. Stephen case

A woman whose 7-year-old daughter was beaten to death in a St Stephen residence last September was charged on Tuesday with unlawful conduct toward a child for allegedly leaving the girl unsupervised in the unlocked resident before the crime occurred.

Shaveta McGill, 27, was arrested by SLED officers and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to Ninth Court Solicitor Scarlett Wilson.

No one has been charged with the murder of her daughter, Ta'Mya Grant. In the residence, investigators found a 10-inch long piece of wood with a nail sticking out of it that was apparently used to strike the victim, according to reports.

Wilson said that she and SLED investigates decided to pursue the charges based on McGill’s statements to police. “The defendant admits leaving the child alone, unsupervised, in a house that was unlocked for hours, so by the defendant’s own admission these charges were appropriate,” Wilson said.

Defense Attorney Eduardo Curry said that McGill maintained her innocence.

“It is our position that Ms. McGill and her family will vigorously refute [the charges] and hopefully someday she’ll get her fair day in court for due process,” he said.

He also said that while many individuals might jump to conclusions about the case, the justice system had to run its course.

“Everyone’s got their own opinion and they’re entitled to it, we just hope that at some point, when she’s sitting there, the opinion of 12 people will matter the most,” Curry said.

Wilson said now that McGill has been charged, investigators with her office would be allowed to interview everyone involved with the case, which she hopes will lead to a breakthrough.

“This case is particularly brutal, and it’s frustrating that the physical evidence at the crime scene hasn’t enabled us to make an arrest, but we haven’t given up on it by any stretch,” Wilson said.

McGill will likely have a preliminary hearing in August, while the trial should take place before the end of the year, according to Wilson.