By The People’s Paper MS Staff
What happened around 10 p.m. Saturday on 6th Avenue in Magee, Mississippi?
According to a Facebook Live audio stream reviewed by The People’s Paper MS, a woman identified as Haley B., who lives on 6th Avenue, said Desserae Vaughn came running out of her home yelling, “My baby. My baby.”
On the recording, Haley is heard saying, “Do CPR. Open his mouth. Do whatever you have to do.”
Hanna Berry May’s son lives on 6th Avenue.
May said when she drove up and got out of her vehicle, several children ran toward her. One was a small child around 2 years old who May said was Vaughn’s daughter. The People’s Paper MS will identify the child only as L.R.
“I immediately picked her up. The baby had so much feces on her that I had to change shirts. The baby was given a bath and her clothes were changed,” May said.
Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told The People’s Paper MS the 2 year old had bruises on her body.
The People’s Paper MS has obtained several pictures showing bruises on the child’s body. However, because of the child’s age and the graphic nature of the injuries, we are not releasing the photos.
We can confirm the child had a feeding tube connected to her body and another opening on her stomach.
People close to the family told The People’s Paper MS a third child, a boy believed to be around 3 or 4 years old, was inside the home at the time hiding in a closet.
According to a Facebook post from Magee Police Chief Denis J. Borges, police arrested Desserae Vaughn and Joseph Lexia.
Borges said the pair face charges of child abuse, child neglect, deprivation of substantial necessities, possession of controlled substances, possession of paraphernalia and three counts of animal cruelty.
In plain language, deprivation of substantial necessities means a person is not being provided enough of the basic things needed to survive and remain reasonably healthy, including food, shelter, clothing, medical care or supervision.
Borges also wrote, “The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office is also conducting a homicide investigation into the death of an infant who was in their care. That investigation remains ongoing, and no further details will be released by the Magee Police Department at this time.”
The People’s Paper MS will continue following this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.
