JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 26-year-old Jefferson City woman accused of causing the death of a 4-year-old boy she was caring for is now charged with second-degree murder in his death.
The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports court records show Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson filed a superseding indictment against Quatavia Givens in the death of Darnell Gray.
She had originally been charged with child abuse. Givens pleaded not guilty to that charge.
Thompson said a grand jury found on Tuesday that there was enough evidence to indict Givens on the murder charge.
Prosecutors say Darnell was hurt while Givens was babysitting him in Jefferson City in October 2018. She reported the boy missing and said he might have been abducted. His body was found a week later.
An autopsy showed Darnell suffered blunt force trauma.
