A former pageant contestant has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison for the brutal murder of her boyfriend's toddler son inside a US university dormitory.
A Jealous Rage Leads to Tragedy
Trinity Madison Poague, aged 20, was convicted of felony murder and aggravated battery for the death of 18-month-old Romeo 'JD' Angeles. The fatal incident occurred in January 2024 at Georgia Southwestern State University, where Poague was a student at the time.
Prosecutors revealed that Poague, then an 18-year-old freshman, attacked the little boy out of jealousy while his father, Julian Williams, was out collecting a pizza. She reportedly resented the child because she wanted to have her own baby with Williams.
Horrific Injuries Discovered
When Williams returned to the dorm room, he discovered his son with catastrophic injuries. The toddler had suffered fatal blunt force trauma. Medical evidence presented during the trial detailed multiple brain bleeds, a skull fracture that caused haemorrhaging, and a laceration on his liver.
Life Sentence Handed Down
On Friday, in an Americus, Georgia courtroom, the disgraced former participant in the Miss National Peanut Festival pageant broke down in tears as the judge passed sentence. Poague was handed a life sentence with the possibility of parole only after serving a minimum of 30 years.
The case, reported by outlets including Law & Crime, has drawn widespread horror for the vicious nature of the crime committed against a defenceless child in a place meant for learning and community.
