Trial Begins in Child Kidnapping and Rape Case; Co-Defendant Pleads Guilty to All Charges

Shelby County, TN – The trial of Daireus Ice began this week in a brutal child rape and kidnapping case that Shelby County prosecutors call “a parent’s worst nightmare.” Ice is accused of organizing, directing, and filming the sexual assault of a 4-year-old girl in 2018.

Prosecutors say the crime came to light when the mother of a victim related to another case discovered a disturbing video on a cellphone that Ice had used and returned.

Ice and co-defendant Antoine Wilson were arrested in 2018 and charged with Rape of a Child, Especially Aggravated Exploitation of a Minor, and Kidnapping. Investigators say the men kidnapped a 4-year-old girl from her front yard, where Wilson sexually assaulted her as Ice recorded the attack, then left the child near her home.

Wilson has pleaded guilty to all charges.

In opening statements of Ice’s trial, prosecutor Devon Dennis described the case as “a parent’s worst nightmare,” underscoring its severity. Prosecutors plan to call several witnesses, including a handwriting expert to confirm that Ice wrote letters boasting about the assaults, the 4-year-old victim’s brother—who was 5 at the time—and Wilson himself, who is expected to testify about how Ice recruited him and orchestrated the attacks.

Despite the noted delays caused by assignment to three different judges, extensive DNA testing, involvement of four co-defendants (related to other cases tied to Ice), and an ongoing investigation into the full scope and severity of the crimes, prosecutors emphasized they are prepared to seek justice and are confident they have the evidence to prove the charges in court.

Chief Prosecutors Devon Dennis and Lessie Rainey are handling the case and trial.