Trinity Poague, Reigning Miss Donalsonville (GA) Facing Murder Charges in the Death of a Young Child - 19 Jan 2024

[sasha17]

I'm only going to be able to watch a little bit of this before having to leave for an appointment but I'll put a few things here from the video linked above that answers questions we had earlier in this thread regarding parentage of the baby and the baby's first name:

Baby was born to bio mom. Mom was married to a man at the time, and it's presumed by GA law that mom's legal husband is the legal father. Mom's legal husband is named on the baby's birth certificate. Mom named the baby Romeo. However, mom said that Trinity's boyfriend (Julian) was the actual bio father. When baby was 3 months old, mom went to Mexico and left the baby with Julian. Mom didn't return and Julian had the baby full time after that. Julian called him Jaxton. Prosecution hasn't been able to find mom. There was never a legal document regarding custody of the baby, so Julian was never given legal custody.

My own question: was blood drawn from the baby at autopsy which could be used for DNA testing to establish paternity? Although I'm not sure that it matters at this point in the case against Trinity.

 

[Knox]

I'm only going to be able to watch a little bit of this before having to leave for an appointment but I'll put a few things here from the video linked above that answers questions we had earlier in this thread regarding parentage of the baby and the baby's first name:

Baby was born to bio mom. Mom was married to a man at the time, and it's presumed by GA law that mom's legal husband is the legal father. Mom's legal husband is named on the baby's birth certificate. Mom named the baby Romeo. However, mom said that Trinity's boyfriend (Julian) was the actual bio father. When baby was 3 months old, mom went to Mexico and left the baby with Julian. Mom didn't return and Julian had the baby full time after that. Julian called him Jaxton. Prosecution hasn't been able to find mom. There was never a legal document regarding custody of the baby, so Julian was never given legal custody.

My own question: was blood drawn from the baby at autopsy which could be used for DNA testing to establish paternity? Although I'm not sure that it matters at this point in the case against Trinity.

Why do you think paternity matters?

 

[killarney rose]

Paternity might matter(?) if it’s proven mom just gave the child to a man she had been with without having confirmation that he was the father. I don’t know if LE could/would pursue her for any possible charges related to that?

 

[sasha17]

Why do you think paternity matters?

I don't think it'll ultimately matter in the case against Trinity. It came up in court before they began because Julian is a witness which would normally exclude him from being present in the court room prior to his testimony. However, the victim's rights bill in GA says that the parents of a child victim can be in the court room for a full trial. The defense is objecting to Julian being in the court room for the full trial because because he's not the legal parent.

 

[303gmf]

Mountain Dew in a sippy cup and Fritos for breakfast? OMG
This prosecutor seems right out of central casting

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1995883528538521632

 

[DixieGal86]

Mountain Dew in a sippy cup and Fritos for breakfast? OMG
This prosecutor seems right out of central casting

Definitely and odd choice for a 18 month old.

 

[arielilane]

NEW TRIAL: Watch Live - https://youtube.com/live/NfAL0ISHahw?si=f39h4gv6uaeV27bM #trinitypoague

https://twitter.com/x/status/1995854193111040460

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1995859506811871480

 

[arielilane]

DAILY TRIAL UPDATES​

DAY 1 – 12/2/25​

• LIVESTREAM: GA v. Trinity Madison Poague – Day 1 | Pageant Queen Child Murder Trial
• State’s opening statement delivered by District Attorney Lewis R. “Bud” Lamb:
  • WATCH: Pageant Queen Child Murder Trial: ‘Trinity Poague Resented This Child’
  • Romeo Angeles (also referred to as Jaxton Drew “JD” Angeles) was born June 25, 2022, in Tallahassee
  • The child lived with Julian Williams and his sister from 3-4 months old
  • Williams began a relationship with defendant Trinity Poague, who started attending Georgia Southwestern University in Americus in August 2023
  • Lamb argued Poague resented the child and wanted her own child with Williams, not to be in a stepmother role
  • Lamb cited various text messages Poague sent to her roommate saying she wanted to punch the child and that they hated each other
  • On Jan. 13, 2024, Williams brought Angeles to Americus to stay with Poague at her dorm
  • Poague texted her roommate later that night asking to sleep in her room for a “mental break”
  • Angeles allegedly fell off the bed that night, but appeared fine, with Poague taking vidoes showing no injuries
  • On Jan. 14, Angeles woke up healthy, ate Fritos and drank Mountain Dew
  • Williams left for 35-36 minutes to get pizza; when he returned, Poague called saying child wasn’t breathing
  • Angeles had fresh bruising on face, forehead, neck, and cheeks when brought to ER and had a fractured occipital bone, brain bleeding, and massive liver laceration
  • Lamb argued medical experts will testify injuries occurred minutes before ER arrival, during time child was alone with Poague
  • Angeles died approximately 3 hours after arriving at hospital
• Defense’s opening statement delivered by W.T. “Tim” Gamble III:
  • WATCH: Pageant Queen Child Murder Trial: Trinity ‘Fed, Took Care of the Child’
  • Argued case is based on suspicion without evidence; Poague is second victim, accused of crime she didn’t commit
  • Poague was 18-year-old honor student at GSW studying nursing with straight A’s in the first semester
  • Argued Williams was a controlling 23-year-old boyfriend, who demanded social media passwords and monitored her activities
  • Williams failed to establish legal paternity and didn’t take child to routine doctor appointments
  • Poague had extensive babysitting experience and cared for Angeles when Williams brought him to visit
  • Gamble argued Poague was with Angeles for a limited time from Saturday 6 PM to Sunday noon, mostly with Williams present, and the child was refusing to eat or drink
  • Gamble argued that at the hospital, Williams told various conflicting stories about what happened to Angeles
  • Gamble argued the investigation was flawed – GBI and Americus PD found no physical evidence at crime scene
  • Gamble argued investigators threw away diaper with apparent blood in fecal matter before testing
  • Argued Poague and Williams showered together before he left for pizza; she got out 5 minutes after him and he was holding Angeles, who was crying
  • Poague noticed child in distress when Williams returned and couldn’t keep head up
• Following opening statements, multiple law enforcement personnel testified about responding to the call at the ER and securing Poague’s dorm room. The jury saw clips of Poague, Williams and Angeles coming and going from the dorm in the time around the alleged incident.

GA v. Trinity Poague: Pageant Queen Child Murder Trial

Trinity Poague is facing life in prison if convicted of killing her boyfriend's toddler son, who found unresponsive in her college dorm room.

www.courttv.com

 

[Knox]

I don't think it'll ultimately matter in the case against Trinity. It came up in court before they began because Julian is a witness which would normally exclude him from being present in the court room prior to his testimony. However, the victim's rights bill in GA says that the parents of a child victim can be in the court room for a full trial. The defense is objecting to Julian being in the court room for the full trial because because he's not the legal parent.

Thank you, I did listen to the opening statement and now understand why they were talking about paternity. It was about a legal issue as to whether the dad could be in the courtroom during all the other testimony in the trial.

 

[Knox]

Did anyone think the prosecutor seemed a little unprofessional in his opening statement?

Calling Trinity a victim was a huge stretch, think that was a mistake on the part of her attorney.

 

[DixieGal86]

Did anyone think the prosecutor seemed a little unprofessional in his opening statement?

Definitely seems off. Maybe there is a method there. I'm just not sure, he doesn't seem very confident IMO.

 

[Knox]

Definitely seems off. Maybe there is a method there. I'm just not sure, he doesn't seem very confident IMO.

Yes, agree. Maybe he’ll be stronger as the trial goes along.

 

[sasha17]

Did anyone think the prosecutor seemed a little unprofessional in his opening statement?

In opening and also in his questioning of witnesses so far. He seems bumbling, saying he couldn't think of the word for something and having trouble understanding how to get the video clips to play. At one point, he didn't realize he was playing a clip from the wrong date. When it was the defense's turn to cross examine the GBI expert, the prosecutor suddenly had more questions he said he forgot to ask initially. Like Dixie said, maybe it's a method to make himself seem relatable or something but it doesn't come off as very professional or polished.

 

[DixieGal86]

Yes, agree. Maybe he’ll be stronger as the trial goes along.

I hope so. TP attorney seems more together.

 

[sasha17]

It also seems strange to me that the GBI expert didn't collect some physical evidence at the scene. He found diapers and took pictures of them but didn't collect them as evidence. There was a sippy cup there which he took a picture of but didn't collect it. Why not? Maybe there was something in the diaper that could be tested. Maybe there was drugs in the sippy cup. We'll never know! (To be clear, I don't think that's the case but it seems irresponsible not to even collect that stuff to potentially test it.)

 

[DixieGal86]

It also seems strange to me that the GBI expert didn't collect some physical evidence at the scene. He found diapers and took pictures of them but didn't collect them as evidence. There was a sippy cup there which he took a picture of but didn't collect it. Why not? Maybe there was something in the diaper that could be tested. Maybe there was drugs in the sippy cup. We'll never know! (To be clear, I don't think that's the case but it seems irresponsible not to even collect that stuff to potentially test it.)

I wondered the same thing. Granted I'm not expert, but I didn't understand not collecting items to be tested. Especially when cause of death was not immediately known.