Woman indicted in day care death

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Mahoning County grand jury today indicted a Lennox Avenue woman on a charge of murder in the death of an infant in January.

Deborah Poindexter, 46, also faces two felony counts of child endangerment in the death of Mekhi Dawson, 4 months, who died Jan. 30 at a day care Poindexter was running out of her home.

The death of the infant now gives the city 12 homicides for 2015. At this point last year, Youngstown had five homicides. The city had a total of 19 homicides in 2014.

Poindexter is not yet in custody, according to records at the county jail. She has no prior criminal record.

Chief of Detectives Capt. Brad Blackburn described the baby’s injuries as “shaken baby.” The baby died in the Care Bear Day Care that was in the the basement of Poindexter’s home.

Reports said officers were called to the day care about noon Jan. 30 on a report of a 4-month-old baby who was not breathing, and when they arrived, there already were two ambulances there.

Poindexter told police the infant, Mekhi Dawson, was lying on the floor of the basement when Poindexter went upstairs to answer the door, reports said.

Reports said when Poindexter returned, the baby was crying. Reports said Poindexter told police she thought one of the other smaller children at the day care may have fallen on Mekhi while she was upstairs.

Poindexter told police she changed the baby’s diaper and picked him up because he was still crying, and was walking and bouncing him when clear fluid came out of the baby’s nose and he stopped breathing.

Poindexter then called 911, reports said.

Paramedics working on the baby told police he was dead. The baby was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital, reports said.

Poindexter and the others who were indicted Thursday will be arraigned early next month before Common Pleas Court Judge Maureen Sweeney.

Those indicted are:

Jarius Ford, 35, Greely Avenue and Edward Robertson, 32, Ashville, N.C., two counts felonious assault.

Vincent Lebron, 30, Crandall Avenue, trafficking in marijuana, four counts trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in marijuana and four counts endangering children with forfeiture specifications.

Melvin Johnson III, 21, Riblett Avenue; Christopher Bridges, 21, Megan Circle; Laquame Knox, 22, Hyatt Street, Campbell; and Monty Robinson, 22, Kendis Circle, attempted aggravated burglary, four counts felonious assault, improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation, retaliation with firearm specifications, illlegal conveyance of weapons onto the grounds of a detention facility and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Rory Stephenson, 33, Roslyn Avenue, trafficking in marijuana, possession of heroin with forfeiture specifications and carrying concealed weapons.

Keith Davenport, 34, Park Heights, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine with forfeiture specifications, being a felon in possession of a firearm and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Antonio Hawthorne, 45, Linwood Avenue, breaking and entering and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert C. Herrera, 31, Bainbridge Avenue, illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance, two counts of voyeurism and possessing criminal tools.

Jesse Aponte, 24, East Dewey Avenue, and Randall Culler, 35, Bell Road, Lisbon, each charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of cocaine with forfeiture specifications.

Jason Goodspeed, 31, Oakwood Avenue, possession of cocaine and possession of drug- abuse instruments with forfeiture specifications.

Frank Henry, 47, Parkview Avenue, Williamsfield, possession of heroin,

Cedric Sanders, 36, West Delason Avenue, possession of heroin.

Steven Willis, 35, Ridgeway Street, Struthers, possession of heroin.

Robert Porada Jr., 40, Carbon Hill Road, East Palestine, theft.

Tyasia Boykin, 32, Halleck Avenue, receiving stolen property.

Tabitha Kerr, 46, Youngstown-Hubbard Road, tampering with evidence.

Carl Thurston, 31 Linden Avenue, possession of cocaine.

Antonio Wilson, 39, Sixth Street, Campbell, domestic violence.

Daniel Good, 24, East Liberty Street, Hubbard, theft.

Alexander Rood, 23, Yorktown Lane, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer.

Shawn Lee Paulin Sr., 36, East Western Reserve Road, Poland, three counts of receiving stolen property.

Kenneth E. Affleje, 33, Walter Street, Campbell, theft and misuse of credit card.

Kelsy Sandy-Williams, 28, Geneva Avenue, Struthers, three counts of theft and forgery.

Alfonda R. Madison Jr., 28, Lorain Correctional Institution, three counts of menacing by stalking.