A Missouri woman charged in the death of a 4-year-old boy is asking to be released from prison for a second time while her case goes through the legal process.
Attorneys for Quatavia Givens asked a judge Friday to consider releasing her, noting she had followed all orders when she previously was released from prison.
Givens was arrested for murder in the 2018 death of Darnell Gray in Jefferson City, Missouri.
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Givens charges were upgraded in August 2021 to first-degree murder, abuse of a child, endangering a child and abandonment of a corpse. Givens was previously charged with second-degree murder and was released on bond.
The defense said Givens is at a very low risk of harming anyone while out, she previously lived with her family in the St. Louis area during her previous release from jail in 2019.
The defense also wants the case tossed because the state provided no new evidence to justify the upgraded charge of first-degree murder.
The Judge did grant a defense motion to bar anyone in the court audience from wearing any shirts or buttons expressing support for Darnell Gray.
Court documents say that Givens allegedly struck and smothered Gray, resulting in his death. Givens initially told police Gray wandered away or was taken, according to court documents.
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