CRIME
Georgia Pageant Queen Charged With Felony Murder In Death Of 18-Month-Old Boy
Sumter County Sheriff's Office
Police in Georgia arrested a local beauty queen in connection with the death of an 18-month-old boy.
Trinity Madison Poague, 18, was arrested Friday on charges of felony murder, aggravated battery and cruelty to children in the first degree, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The GBI said Saturday it was contacted by the Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department on Jan. 14 to investigate the child’s death. The boy was unresponsive when he was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, the GBI said. Despite lifesaving efforts, the boy later died.
Based on evidence and multiple interviews, Poague was arrested Friday booked at the Sumter County Jail with no bond, the GBI said. The cause of the child’s death was not released.
Sumter County Coroner Mathis Wright told WALB that preliminary findings indicate some form of blunt force trauma, but autopsy results were still pending.
Poague is the reigning Miss Donalsonville. According to the Donalsonville News, she was crowned Miss Seminole in January last year, and a photo of the winners published by the paper showed Poague holding an infant. In October, she competed in the National Peanut Festival Pageant. She is currently a student at Georgia Southwestern State University.
The Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department and the Americus Police Department were assisting the investigation, which is ongoing.
Once the investigation is complete, the casefile will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office for prosecution, the GBI said.
The GBI is asking anyone with information about the case to come forward or submit an anonymous tip.
TMX contributed to this article.
