Thibodaux parents accused of killing their infant set for Jan. 25 arraignment
Two people accused of killing their infant daughter are scheduled to appear in a Lafourche Parish courtroom later this month.
A grand jury found enough evidence Jan. 7 to charge Jake Guidry, 26, and Kageionna Butler, 21, with second-degree murder in the death of their 11-month-old daughter Zabria Guidry on Sept. 28.
An indictment does not presume guilt or innocence but indicates the grand jury found prosecutors presented enough evidence to warrant a trial on the charge.
Butler and Guidry are scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 25 in the courtroom of District Judge Steven Miller of Thibodaux.
If convicted of second-degree murder, they face a mandatory life sentence without parole, probation or early release.
Related: Mother charged in Lafourche infant's death
Jake Guidry was arrested Sept. 28 after deputies were called to a home in the 600 block of Brule Guillot Road in Thibodaux to conduct a child welfare check, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office said.
Jake Guidry told deputies the baby died after he hit her "too hard," authorities said. The child’s body was later found in the back cargo area of his SUV.
Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre said in a recent interview Butler was later charged after autopsy reports showed the baby had suffered injuries during the course of several weeks.
“The autopsy findings listed the cause of death as battered infant syndrome,” Webre said. “There appeared to be significant injuries over a period of time as opposed to a single injury that would have caused death. The investigation determined the mother was aware of the abuse. She may or may not have contributed; we don’t know. The father has claimed responsibility for his actions but has not given any explanation beyond that he struck the baby too hard. But the pathology report clearly indicates more than a single incident.”
Butler was aware of the ongoing abuse but did nothing to stop it, the sheriff said.
“During the course of time when the infant was harmed, the mother was always in the company of the father and infant and did not take any steps to seek medical attention or bring the abuse to the attention of law enforcement,” Webre said.
More: Thibodaux man charged with murder in infant's death
The couple were booked into the Lafourche jail, where they are each being held on $1 million bail.
— Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Grand jury indicts Thibodaux parents accused of killing their infant
