MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Wednesday that the state Grand Jury for Shelby County indicted a Memphis man for allegedly killing his two-year-old daughter last July.
The Grand Jury indicted DeAndre Blake, 20, for first degree murder in the perpetration of aggravated child abuse.
According to the affidavit of complaint filed in this case, on July 28, 2008 Memphis police were called to an apartment on Turkey Run Lane where they found Dre’Ona Blake unresponsive. According to the affidavit, DeAndre Blake, the victim’s father, told police the two year old became unresponsive after eating a bologna sandwich. Memphis fire paramedics transported the victim to LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center where doctors pronounced her dead. According to the affidavit, an examination of the victim’s body showed multiple wounds, bruises and trauma. The medical examiner ruled the victim's death a homicide. Memphis homicide detectives arrested Blake and charged him with first degree murder later that day.
Blake is being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond. Blake was out of jail on bond for an unrelated second degree murder charge at the time of his July arrest for the first degree murder charge. An arraignment date on this latest indictment has not yet been set. Blake is scheduled to appear in court on November 10 for the pending second degree murder charge.
Under Tennessee law, first degree murder is punishable by death, life in prison without parole, or life in prison with the possibility of parole after 51 years. First degree murder is a charge covered by the D.A.’s “No Deals” policy on violent crimes. Exceptions to the policy are made only for legal or ethical reasons.
Assistant District Attorney J. Robert Carter is handling this case. Carter is the chief prosecutor assigned to the Child Protection Investigation Team (CPIT) which handles cases of severe physical child abuse and child sexual abuse. |