Unsupervised Boys, 10 and 12, Accused of Beating Toddler Girl to Death While Her Mother and Friend Went to Casino: Cops

Law enforcement officials in Louisiana said a toddler’s mother, two juveniles and another adult have been arrested after the 3-year-old girl was beaten to death after the adults had left the children unsupervised in the home.

In the early morning hours on Feb. 12, Dineshia Yates — the mother of 3-year-old Blessing Buckles — and Terica Scott, both 26, arrived home after being at a casino and saw deputies from East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office knocking on doors in the neighborhood, according to court documents obtained by WBRZ.

Deputies said a juvenile called 911 around 4 a.m. and reported the toddler wasn’t breathing. The caller said no adults were home and he didn’t know the address of the house where they were.

The girl was not breathing when officials found her, but medics were able to resuscitate the child and rush her to a hospital, where she died two days later.

Doctors said Buckles had a brain bleed and bruises on her face and body consistent with blunt force trauma.

Authorities said a 4-year-old girl was also in the house suffering similar injuries.

Investigators determined that 10- and 12-year-old boys, both left alone in the house with the two girls, had beaten them, court documents say.

Yates and Scott are accused of leaving eight children, ranging in age from 11 months to 12 years old, alone while they went to the casino. Yates told officials that she and her children had been staying at Scott’s home for the past two weeks.

Scott, the mother of one of the juvenile suspects and the aunt of the other boy, and Yates reportedly told police that they were aware of violent behavior in the home and saw bruises on one of the girls.

However, police said they did nothing to stop the alleged abuse and would frequently leave the children home without adult supervision.

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According to officials, the two boys were arrested and charged with simple battery and second degree murder. They were booked into the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center.

Scott and Yates were arrested and charged with principal to battery and principal to second degree murder. They are each being held on a $20,000 bond.