RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman will be sentenced in June after pleading no contest to the second-degree murder of 3-year-old Latrice Walden.
Danielle L. Turner, 25, was the godmother of Latrice. Turner was initially charged with felony child neglect, but those charges were later upgraded to first-degree murder.
The young girl died after she was beaten, according to an autopsy report. Latrice suffered more than 60 bruises on her arms, legs, and torso, as well as trauma to the back of her skull.
The report stated that the child 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 and her mother
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 2016, Turner’s attorney requested a mental evaluation for Turner.
Danielle L. Turner
The Richmond Circuit Court ruled she was not competent to stand trial and ordered Central State hospital to restore her to competency.
Turner faces five to 40 years in prison when she is sentenced on June 23.
A sentencing agreement was not included in the plea, according to the Commonwealth Attorney's office.
