RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond Godmother charged in the beating death of 3-year-old Latrice Walden has been ruled not competent to stand trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Danielle L. Turner, 25, was initially charged with felony child neglect in February, but those charges were later upgraded to first degree murder.
Danielle L. Turner
The 3-year-old girl died after she was beaten, suffering more than 60 bruises on her arms, legs, and torso, according to an autopsy report. The report also showed Latice suffered trauma to the back of her skull and died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Turner and Latrice’s mother, Nikki Brown, have known each other for over a decade.
During the February incident, Turner was watching the child at her Chamberlayne Avenue home because Brown had recently given birth.
Latrice Walden
Turner initially claimed Latrice slipped and fell in bathtub. When she fell, Turner said, the child hit her head on the faucet. Police said she called 911 about Latrice’s condition more than six hours later.
In August, Turner’s attorney requested a mental evaluation for Turner. Tuesday, the Richmond Circuit Court ruled Turner not competent to stand trial and ordered Central State hospital to restore her to competency.
The case has been continued until December.
