Americus, Georgia – The trial of a former beauty queen accused of killing her boyfriend’s 18-month-old son has opened in a Georgia courtroom, where prosecutors allege she violently assaulted the child because she disliked him and wanted a family of her own. The case, involving 20-year-old Trinity Poague, has drawn statewide attention due to the severity of the accusations and the boy’s age.
Prosecutors say Poague, who was 18 at the time, beat 18-month-old Romeo “J.D.” Angeles inside her dorm room at Georgia Southwestern State University on January 14, 2024. She is charged with murder, aggravated battery, and child cruelty. According to investigators, she was the only adult with the child when he suffered catastrophic injuries.
Doctors were unable to stabilize the toddler after he was rushed to Phoebe Sumter Hospital, and he was pronounced dead soon afterward.
What prosecutors say happened inside the dorm
According to prosecutor Lewis Lamb, the child was healthy when his father, Julian Williams, left the university dorm to go to Walmart and pick up a pizza around noon. Minutes later, Poague allegedly sent a text saying “J.D. is not breathing.”
When Williams returned, he found his son unresponsive and drove him to the emergency room himself.
Medical staff noted bruises to the head, a fractured skull, and a lacerated liver, injuries prosecutors say could only have occurred within hours of his arrival at the hospital. Lamb told jurors that surveillance footage and earlier videos showed the boy behaving normally shortly before Williams left him in Poague’s care.
Lamb argued that the child’s father devoted much of his attention to J.D., something that made Poague jealous and resentful.
Prosecutors highlight Poague’s alleged resentment toward the child
Prosecutors told the jury they intend to show that Poague had made negative comments about J.D. in the days leading up to the assault. In a text to her roommate on the day of the incident, she allegedly wrote,
“I can’t stand being around J.D. anymore. He hates me and I hate him.”
Lamb described Poague as wanting to start a family with Williams but not wanting to raise someone else’s child.
“Trinity Poague resented this child,” Lamb said. “She wanted to have a child with Julian Williams—just not that child.”
He added that Poague rejected the idea of stepping into a parental role with J.D.
Defense argues the child’s injuries came from a fall
Poague’s attorney, W.T. Gamble, disputed the prosecution’s timeline. He said the toddler’s fatal injuries may have resulted from an accidental fall from a 40-inch-high dorm bed the night before his death.
Gamble told jurors that people in the dorm heard a crying child during the previous night and that Williams was allegedly passed out drunk at the time. He also argued that the child did not appear well prior to the incident, pointing to the minimal amount of food in his stomach during medical evaluation.
“Do not let justice be found at the cross of innocent blood,” Gamble said in his opening statement.
“Trinity Poague is not guilty of the crime she is accused of.”
The trial is expected to last two days.
How the investigation unfolded
On the day of the child’s death, the Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The toddler had arrived at Phoebe Sumter Hospital unresponsive, prompting an immediate review of the circumstances.
GBI agents conducted multiple interviews and examined the child’s severe injuries. Days later, Poague was arrested on charges related to the homicide. An indictment later stated that she caused blunt-force trauma to J.D.’s head and torso with “malice aforethought”, leaving his brain “useless” and causing “serious disfigurement” to internal organs.
Poague was released on bond shortly after her arrest, a decision that deeply upset the child’s father.
“This feels like a slap in the face,” Williams said at the time. “All we want is justice for my son.”
Poague’s background as a pageant winner
Before her arrest, Poague held the title of Miss Donalsonville 2023 and later competed at the National Peanut Festival. In an Instagram post following the pageant, she referred to the experience as a blessing and thanked her supporters.
Local media later reported that Poague was stripped of her title following her arrest. Her social media indicates she enrolled at Georgia Southwestern State University in August 2023 and graduated from Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus before that.
Why the case is gaining public attention
The combination of the child’s age, the severity of his injuries, and Poague’s public profile as a pageant winner has intensified interest in the trial. The prosecution argues that jealousy and resentment led to a fatal outburst, while the defense insists police rushed to judgment based on circumstantial evidence.
The jury will determine whether the toddler’s death was a violent assault or a tragic accident.
Community reaction and child-safety concerns
Cases involving fatal injuries to young children often highlight broader questions about warning signs, stress in young relationships, and recognizing potential danger in caregiving situations. Officials emphasize that caregivers should seek help if they feel overwhelmed and that any signs of abuse—including unexplained bruises, sudden changes in behavior, or injuries—should be reported immediately.
Child-safety advocates say this case serves as a reminder of how quickly situations can turn dangerous when infants and toddlers are left with someone who may be unable to handle the responsibility.
Conclusion
As the trial continues, jurors will hear additional medical evidence, cellphone data, testimony from investigators, and accounts from those who interacted with the couple before the child’s death. Both sides maintain their positions firmly, and the outcome will hinge on whether the prosecution can prove deliberate violence beyond a reasonable doubt.
Share your thoughts or experiences related to child safety and caregiving in the comments below.
