May 24, 2002 – The mother of 3-year-old Melea Pownell, who was beaten to death on May 10, is scheduled to appear in Territorial Court on Saturday to face charges of child abuse and neglect.
Police say that Sylvia Byrd, 34, of Altona, knew that her boyfriend, 25-year-old Derick Hoheb of Paul M. Pearson Gardens, regularly beat and abused Byrd's two daughters, Melea and her 8-year-old sister.
Melea died on May 10 from blows to her head and body, according to autopsy reports. Hoheb has been charged with first-degree murder and 19 other charges in connection with the death and what police say was the frequent beating, intentional burning and choking of the two girls. Hoheb pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on Thursday.
On Friday morning, police arrested Byrd and charged her with child abuse, child neglect and concealing felony actions. She is being held in jail on $75,000 bail.
In April, the 8-year-old girl told one of the teachers at her school that Hoheb had grabbed her by the hair and pounded her head on the floor, according to an affidavit signed by police Detective Roselyn Bedminster. The girl also told the teacher that Hoheb sometimes choked her so hard that her eyes bulged out and it felt like she was going to die, Bedminster stated.
The teacher spoke to Byrd about what the girl had said two days later, but Byrd told the teacher that her daughter was "blowing things out of proportion," Bedminster stated.
Social workers removed the girl from the home and put her into foster care on May 2, but they were still investigating whether Melea might be in danger at the time that the 3-year-old died.
After Melea's death, Byrd told investigators that the child suffered from sickle-cell anemia, and that any marks on her body were caused by Melea scratching her irritated skin. Police also say that Byrd had denied Melea medical care after some of the assaults because she knew that nurses would ask questions about the marks on the little girl's body.
If convicted of child abuse, Byrd could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison. Hoheb faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the murder charge.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
