KILLEEN, Texas — A 28-year-old man is in custody for Capital Murder for an alleged child abuse case from 2023 that resulted in the child dying, according to the Killeen Police Department.
On April 29, 2023, officers were notified of a suspected case of child abuse in Killeen where a two-year-old was brought to McLane's Children's Hospital with multiple rib fractures and a head injury. The child died just a couple days later, on May 2, 2023.
An autopsy found that the victim suffered a skull fracture, and the cause of death was determined to be "multiple blunt force injuries to the brain."
Throughout the investigation, it was found that the victim's abuse from their mother and father ranged from being hit with a belt and stick to being spanked with a closed fist, as well as being pushed and shaken.
On April 15, 2024, after being reviewed by the Bell County District Attorney's Office, a complaint was issued that charged Ronald Vernon Legette with Capital Murder, as well as a complaint that charged Portia Marquise Waller, 30, with Injury to a Child with Intentional Injury.
According to Bell County jail records, Legette is being held in jail on a $1.01 million bond for Capital Murder of a Person Under 10 years old and Theft of Property in an amount between $750 and $2,500. After being taken into custody, Waller bonded out of jail on a $75,000 commercial bond.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and no other information will be released.
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