A Washington, D.C., father is accused of beating his 2-month-old twin daughter to death after learning she was fathered by another man who is currently incarcerated. Demetrius Beatty, 40, allegedly killed Khamyah Honesty in a jealous rage after being left "crushed" by the revelation that he was not the child's biological father, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
Background
Prosecutors state that the relationship between Beatty and the twins' mother deteriorated after he discovered she had conceived the babies with her partner, who is in prison. Although the couple was no longer in a romantic relationship, they continued to live together with their other children. Court documents reveal a history of ominous warning signs leading up to the infant's death. Sixteen days prior to the fatal incident, Khamyah fell approximately 75 feet down a Metro escalator after dropping from her car seat. While Beatty claimed the fall was an accident, nurses who treated the baby disputed his account.
Investigators also identified a concerning incident in which the twins were allegedly left in Beatty's care while their mother visited their biological father in prison. During this time, Beatty reportedly locked both infants in a closet. When questioned about the children's confinement, Beatty allegedly stated, "Them b—es were stinking." A relative of the twins' father told police the babies were locked inside and had contacted D.C. Child and Family Services Agency multiple times over safety concerns during the two months preceding Khamyah's death.
The Investigation
On the night of the incident, Beatty called 911 and initially told the operator that his 6-year-old autistic and nonverbal son was responsible for the infant's injuries. "I have an autistic son, and I have a 2-month-old daughter. I guess my autistic son got to the 2-month-year-old daughter [sic] and was fighting her, and he damaged her pretty good," Beatty said, according to court documents obtained by WUSA. He reported that the baby's face was swollen and her nose was bleeding, stating, "I need help quick."
Police found Beatty holding the unconscious and unresponsive infant in the lobby of an apartment building. Khamyah was transported to Children's National Hospital, where she died the following day. A forensic pathologist determined that the injuries sustained by the baby—including fractures to the forehead, the back of the head, and beneath the chin, along with trauma to the head, bruising to the face, and blood in the eyes—could not have been caused by a 6-year-old child.
Prosecutors allege that Beatty's explanation of the events changed repeatedly. The mother stated that Beatty first claimed he had stepped into the hallway to make a phone call and returned to find Khamyah bleeding. He then alleged that his 6-year-old had "tossed" the baby across the floor. Later, he claimed he had been playing ball with the children, stepped into the hallway to look for "men," and returned to find the infant injured. The mother described his shifting accounts as "all over the place" and noted that shortly before the death, Beatty had threatened that the twins were "going to be dead" if their mother left to visit their father in prison.
Key Takeaways
- Demetrius Beatty is charged with first-degree felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children.
- The victim, Khamyah Honesty, was 2 months old and suffered multiple skull fractures and internal trauma.
- A forensic pathologist ruled out the defense's claim that a 6-year-old autistic sibling caused the fatal injuries.
- Prior to the death, the twins were allegedly locked in a closet, with Beatty citing a smell as the reason.
- Beatty was ordered held without bond and is due back in court on Sept. 28.
- The mother reported Beatty had threatened the children's lives if she visited their biological father in prison.
What's Next
Beatty remains held without bond as the case proceeds through the D.C. Superior Court system. His defense attorney, who argued in court that the victim was killed by Beatty's eldest child, noted that someone who attacks and kills an infant would typically call 9-1-1 immediately. The case is scheduled for further proceedings on Sept. 28, where prosecutors will likely present forensic evidence contradicting the defense's theory regarding the 6-year-old's capability to inflict the observed injuries.