Trial Begins for Woman Accused of Toddler’s Death in Dorm

Trinity Poague, a 20-year-old former beauty pageant winner, went on trial this week accused of beating her boyfriend's 18-month-old son to death in a university dorm room in Georgia. The toddler, Romeo Jaxton Angeles, was found unresponsive on January 14, 2024, at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, about 150 miles south of Atlanta. Poague has pleaded not guilty to charges of malice murder, first-degree cruelty to children, felony murder and aggravated battery, facing a potential life sentence if convicted.

Prosecutors allege that Poague, driven by jealousy over wanting a child of her own with her boyfriend, Julian Williams, abused the boy while Williams stepped out to pick up pizza around noon that day. According to testimony from District Attorney Lewis R. Bud Lamb, the couple had dined out with the child the previous evening, when Poague texted her roommate, Paris, expressing frustration: "the child hates me and I hate him." She later messaged the roommate asking to sleep in her room because the toddler was fussy and Williams was unhelpful. Poague initially claimed the boy rolled off the bed but was fine, though videos from her phone captured him acting...