A 42-year-old foster mother in Louisiana will spend the rest of her life in prison after killing an 18-month-old kid in her care four years ago by shaking the victim to death for over an hour. Tatianna J. Burns was convicted on Friday of one count of second-degree murder in the gruesome murder of Angel Wong, according to authorities.
According to a news release from the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office, Burns chose a bench trial before District Court Judge Donald E. Hathaway, Jr., as jurors were being chosen on Monday. The trial began on Wednesday, with prosecutors and Burns’ counsel presenting their cases before Judge Hathaway deliberated and convicted her of murder.
Prosecutors also claimed that another child had previously been withdrawn from Burns’ custody because he had “tortured the child.”
During the bench trial, prosecutors summoned 11 witnesses to testify that Burns shook Angel to death on June 5, 2020.
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“Evidence at trial established that Burns was caring for a toddler with whom she shared no familial relationship and that Burns had previously cared for another unrelated child in 2013, who was removed from her home following an investigation that determined she had tortured the child,” according to the releases. “The state called four medical doctors who agreed that bleeding and swelling and brain bleeds to (Angel) resulted from acute abusive head trauma.”
Authorities also determined that Burns was the only person who had access to Angel when she suffered her fatal injuries.
According to the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, Burns brought the woman to the hospital and acknowledged shaking her during an interview with Shreveport Police officers.
“Burns stated that she then began to forcibly shake (Angel) for about 45 minutes to an hour trying to get her to wake up,” police said in an affidavit obtained by the newspaper. “Burns demonstrated how she shook (Angel) by making hand motions indicating she was upside-down, sideways, vertical, and back and forth. Burns even admitted to holding Angel upside down by her legs and shaking her. Burns also demonstrated holding Angel’s face and behind her head while swaying her back and forth.
Burns reportedly admitted that while driving to the hospital, she stopped at red lights and continued shaking Angel.
During the brief trial, prosecutors depicted Burns as a “monster” without holding back.
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“The state will prove beyond a reasonable doubt, dare I say beyond all doubt, that that child never had a chance,” Assistant District Attorney Christopher Bowman said during his opening statement, according to Lawandcrime. “The evidence will show that she was placed in the hands of a monster.”
According to prosecutors, Angel’s injuries were gruesome.
“What the doctors found would make King Solomon wince,” Bowman reportedly added. “Her poor, little skull was your honor, bursting at the seams.”
When Burns returns to court on July 23, she will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release.