A Peoria County grand jury indicted Kaleeyah E. Sprinkle Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery for allegedly abusing her 20-month-old twin children.
Peoria County State's Attorney Jodi Hoos said 24-year old Sprinkle's son died from his injuries, while her daughter survived.
According to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, the son, Amiri Robinson, was pronounced deceased at 3:13 p.m. May 9 in the Pediatric ICU at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center.
Officials said the child was reportedly brought by a parent to Peoria Fire Station 8 around 9 a.m. on May 6 after being found face down in a playpen at home. Fire department staff determined the child was unresponsive and began immediate life-saving measures.
Hoos said the boy had severe brain damage, along with a laceration to his spleen and liver, a pelvic fracture, and multiple scratches and abrasions.
The infant was then transported to OSF in “grave condition.”
Harwood said the autopsy showed he suffered multiple, severe, non-accidental blunt force trauma injuries throughout his body, as a result of perpetrated child abuse.
According to the State's Attorney's Office, Peoria police officers visited Sprinkle's apartment during their investigation and spoke to a witness who saw a woman, allegedly Sprinkle, leaving the apartment holding a baby who appeared lifeless. The witness said a man, allegedly 34-year old Zaxton Johnson, carried a second baby wrapped in a blanket.
Police say, after responding to the fire station, officers found Johnson with the female twin nearby in a white SUV. The daughter was found underneath a blanket in the back seat with significant bruising on her face and scratch marks on her neck.
The Peoria Police Department said the daughter was transported to a local hospital for treatment; her condition is reported as stable and she has since been released.
Peoria Police officials said Sprinkle and Johnson were both arrested on May 6. Sprinkle was charged with endangering the life and health of a child and a Peoria County warrant for driving on a suspended license. Johnson was charged with violation of the sex offender registry by failing to register.
At the time, police said Sprinkle told investigators the children's injuries were accidental and that they had fallen off of a couch the day before. Peoria County State's Attorney's Office spokesperson Anna Perales said treating doctors at local hospitals stated the injuries were non-accidental trauma and not consistent with a fall.
Hoos said Sprinkle then faced upgraded charges on May 8, including four counts of aggravated battery for the injuries on both children. The state also filed a petition to detain Sprinkle, but Hoos said she was released under specific conditions, including electronic tracking.
Johnson's charges were upgraded to endangering the life and health of a child on May 8.
After the grand jury handed down a direct first-degree murder indictment for Sprinkle on Tuesday, Peoria Police took her into custody without incident and transported her to the Peoria County Jail.
The police investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Peoria Police Department, Crime Stoppers or use the tip411 app.
