SHREVEPORT, La — A Shreveport woman accused of shaking a baby to death was found guilty of the crime Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Caddo District Court.
The trial was originally to have been before a jury, but as jurors were about to be chosen Monday, July 8, defendant Tatianna Jenell Burns, 42, asked for a bench trial before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.
After presentation of prosecution and defense cases, and deliberation by Judge Hathaway, the court found Burns, also known as Tatianna Washington, guilty as charged of second-degree murder in the death of a non-related child A.W., aged 18 months at the time of her death on June 5, 2020.
Over the course of the trial, the District Attorney’s office called 11 witnesses to prove Burns murdered A.W., shaking her to death at her home in Caddo parish. 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, and who was removed from her home following an investigation that determined she had tortured the child. The state called four medical doctors who agreed that bleeding and swelling and brain bleeds to A.W. resulted from acute abusive head trauma. Prosecutors presented a combination of medical and testimonial evidence to prove that the defendant was the only person who had access to the child at the time she was injured.
When Burns return to Judge Hathaway’s court July 23, she faces a mandatory life sentence without possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
Assistant District Attorneys Jason Waltman and Christopher Bowman prosecuted for the state. Leslie Kelly defended Burns.
The case was docket No. 377592.
