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Deliberations Resume in James' Child Death Case

Davia James could receive life in prison if convicted

Jury deliberations are slated to resume today in the trial of a Banning woman accused of standing by while her boyfriend fatally beat her 2-year-old son, then trying to cover for him when investigators arrested them both.

Davia Damanique James, 23, could face 15 years to life in prison if
convicted in the Nov. 11, 2011, death of Robert Voorhees.
A separate jury last week convicted Andrew Lee Payne, 24, of second-
degree murder and assault on a child resulting in great bodily injury for
beating Robert to the point of inflicting catastrophic internal injuries.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz is expected to sentence Payne to 25 years to life in prison on Nov. 2.

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James is charged with second-degree murder and child endangerment.
Deputy District Attorney Kevin Beecham described little Robert's death
as "horrific,'' telling jurors that the child was hit repeatedly in the
kidneys and suffered a "fractured spine, a collapsed lung, cerebral edema and
a herniated brain.''

The official cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
According to Beecham, the youngster was left under Payne's supervision
on Nov. 7, 2011, while James went to a doctor's appointment and ran errands for most of the day. By the time she came home that afternoon, her son was in his makeshift bed on the floor and appeared to be sleeping, the prosecutor said.

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In fact, the boy was virtually comatose, unresponsive and slipping away.

The tot was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he was
declared brain dead on Nov. 11 and removed from life support.

Beecham alleged that Payne, a drug user, severely beat the boy, and
James, fully aware of what was going on, covered for him.
James's attorney, Stuart Sachs, described his client as a "devoted
mother'' who was led to believe her son had hurt himself during a fall in the
bathroom until doctors informed her otherwise.

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