Jury seated, opening statements complete in trial of woman charged in toddler’s beating death

ORLANDO, Fla. — A twelfth juror was chosen and opening statements started Tuesday in the trial of a woman accused of beating a three-year-old boy to death for drinking milk from a carton.

Lakesha Lewis is charged with first-degree murder for the death Xavier Satchel. Investigators say he died after he was beaten and thrown across a room in 2017.

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Lewis was the girlfriend of the boy’s mother, Brandi Mokarzel, who has already pleaded guilty to child neglect and served three years in prison for her role in the boy’s death.

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Lewis’ mother, Callene Barton, has also been charged with first-degree murder. She’s accused of being the one responsible for throwing him.

Barton has been declared incompetent to stand trial pending a state-ordered psychiatric examination, the results of which have been kept confidential.

The state said Tuesday they plan to bring Mokarzel on to the witness stand during Lewis’ trial to talk about what happened inside the apartment she shared with the two women the day Satchel died.

Prosecutors also used their opening statement to explain to jurors in disturbing detail exactly what they say happened to Satchel in the apartment.

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In a brief opening statement, Lewis’ defense team urged the jury to listen to all the facts of the case and maintain an open mind.

After opening statements from the defense, the judge recessed until Wednesday morning when testimony will begin.

Cox Media Group